


Rose Returns

by VioletRoseLily



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Forgiveness, Friendship, Gen, Healing, Healthy Relationships, Rebellion, Self-Hatred, Some Humor, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24127912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletRoseLily/pseuds/VioletRoseLily
Summary: Rose finds herself eight thousand years in the past, back when Homeworld and she were at their worst. She is desperate to get home and she will make things right. She has been given a second chance and she refuses to waste it.
Relationships: Garnet & Rose Quartz (Steven Universe), Pearl/Rose Quartz (Steven Universe), Rose Quartz & Steven Universe, Rose Quartz/Greg Universe, Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe)
Comments: 156
Kudos: 275





	1. Hit Undo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose wakes up back at Homeworld to her confusion and horror.

_“These pink outbursts of yours are getting out of control.”_

_“You_ _gotta_ _tell us what’s going on.”_

_“Don’t let this power control you. You’re better than this.”_

_“LEAVE ME ALONE!”_

_“I’m a fraud! I’m a monster!”_

* * *

“Starlight, did you hear what I just said?” White Diamond demanded, causing Pink Diamond---no Rose Quartz--- to stare at her in horror. 

“White,” she said shakily, unable to believe her eyes as she struggled to understand what had just happened. Why was she here? She shouldn’t be here. She should be on Earth with her friends. No, she should be dead. She should be…. Steven! Something had happened to her baby and it was all her fault. 

“Starlight, what is the matter with you?” White inquired, a strange note in her voice that sounded almost like concern. 

Terrified, confused and devastated, Rose fled, running as fast as she could to her own palace. A loud whooshing noise rang in her ears and tears made everything blurry so Rose had no idea if anyone was calling out to her or following her as she made it to her room and collapsed onto her knees, desperately trying to muffle her sobs, not wanting to deal with anyone even if they only wanted to comfort her. 

She didn’t care what happened or why she was alive. All she cared about was her son, her baby, her Steven was hurting and it was all because of her. 

She saw everything he went through. Every single moment. His memories flew through her head like she was watching a movie. It was overwhelming, suffocating her as she watched Steven deal with every single consequence of her actions. 

How could she have let this happen to him? All she had ever wanted was for Steven to be able to grow and change like she never could, to be human. She had never wanted him to suffer for what she had done, to clean up her messes. And yet he had. 

Rose was torn between feeling pride that her son had changed so much for both the Crystal Gems and Homeworld and devastation knowing that everything he had gone through was all her fault. 

“Pink,” a gentle voice whispered as a hand laid on her shoulder. 

Rose spun around, startled. Her eyes widened when she realized who was standing in front of her. “Pearlie,” she breathed, reaching upwards to touch the non-cracked face of her first pearl. 

_STOP IT! I CAN'T DEAL WITH ONE MORE HORRIBLE THING SHE DID, OKAY?! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT! I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT! I JUST... WANT TO FIX IT!_

Pink Pearl just stared at her diamond with a quizzical and concerned expression on her face. She brought up her hand to brush away the fresh tears spilling down Rose’s cheeks, still not understanding why her diamond was crying but doing her best to comfort her anyway. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Pearlie asked gently. 

“No. Or at least not yet,” Rose replied, her head swimming. She had somehow traveled back in time to eight thousand years ago. Unless she missed her guess, she had been sent back to a time just before she broke her pearl, realized just how bad she was and never allowing herself to harm another gem ever again. 

(Not that her realization had stopped her from hurting hundreds of other gems.) 

She had been sent back to thousands of years before the rebellion, before her friends, before Earth, before Steven, before…. Pearl. 

Oh goodness, she needed Pearl. They had been through a lot together and all Rose wanted to do was hug her, tell her how sorry she was for not being better, thank her for being a mom to Steven when she couldn’t be and tell how much she loved her. How she couldn’t do this without her. 

Pearl might not know what to do any more than Rose did but at least they could face it together, perhaps figure out a solution to this impossible problem, this unthinkable situation they were somehow thrust into.

  
Only to get Pearl, she would have to lose Pearlie. 

“Do you trust me?” Rose asked. 

“Of course, I do,” Pearlie replied immediately without a trace of hesitation. 

_You shouldn’t._ Rose thought bitterly as she touched the side of Pink Pearl’s face, which thankfully had no cracks. “I’m going to have to poof you for a little while but afterwards, I will explain everything I promise.” 

“I know you will,” Pink Pearl said softly, putting her hand on Pink’s face, wiping away her tears with her thumb, still smiling. 

Rose put her hands on Pink Pearl’s gem, wishing she had her sword as it could poof Pearlie without damaging her gem. Rose studied Pink Pearl’s face as she squeezed her gem, checking to see if any cracks appeared on her friend’s face.

If she was in any pain, Pink Pearl didn’t show it, she just continued smiling at Rose reassuringly. But then again, did she ever show when she was in pain when her diamond, her so-called friend, hurt her? 

Rose applied a little more force as she squeezed the gem, her eyes never leaving Pink Pearl’s face. It took a little longer than Rose would have liked but eventually Pink Pearl retreated to her gem. 

Rose made sure to cry on and kiss Pearlie’s gem, hoping that her healing powers would wash away any trace of the pain she had undoubtedly caused her friend. She then bubbled the gem and asked the pebbles to create a hiding place where she could put Pearlie until she could bring her to safety. 

Now all she had to do was go to the Reef and get…make Pearl. 

The diamond----although she would always call herself Rose, she was still a diamond until she got to Earth----hesitated as she thought of the pros and cons about remaking Pearl. 

On one hand, she hadn’t even been the one to actual go to the Reef to make Pearl in the first place, the other three diamonds had done that so she wasn’t actually sure if that would affect how Pearl come out. Secondly, Pearl hadn’t been fully free until Rose had disappeared and she had gone through a tremendous amount of pain and suffering to get there. To put her through that again would be just as cruel as if she decided to break Pearlie again. 

On the other hand, she was being given a chance to fix her old mistakes and goodness knows how she had made a lot of mistakes in her relationship with Pearl. If she tried harder and was more open in their relationship maybe things would actually work out this time. Not to mention the idea of going through the rebellion without her renegade Pearl by her side was an unpleasant one as the rebellion was founded by Pearl as much as it was founded by Rose Quartz. 

With that thought in mind, Rose became determined. She wasn’t sure exactly what happened but she was certain that if she had Pearl by her side, together they could overcome every problem that came their way. 

Thankfully neither Blue and Yellow had come to check on her the last time so Rose was confident she would not run into them when she made her way to the warp that would take her to the Reef. 

* * *

  
Once she arrived, she placed her hand on the hand pedestal, frowning as she looked around the place, remembering how many times she had been here playing dress up with Pearlie. It reminded her of how human children would decorate their dolls with accessories. 

The one thing she did well with Pearl was she never spent time at the Reef finding cute little accessories for her. Granted it had more to do with the painful memories the Reef brought her but she found it was a point of pride the first gift she ever gave Pearl were swords. (Pearl’s eyes lighting up and her immediate skill with the swords had been one of the first moments where Rose had realized that was more to this gem than met the eye). 

“Welcome Pink Diamond,” Shell greeted her. 

“I’m here for a new pearl,” Rose told the AI, struggling not correct it. Whether she liked it or not, right now she had to be Pink Diamond. On Earth she would shed Pink Diamond’s awful outfit, turn her gem around and be Rose Quartz. Until then, she would suffer through being Pink Diamond. It wouldn’t be the first time she had to put on an act but hopefully it would be the last time. 

“Understood. Please follow the illuminated path to the Creation Center,” Shell instructed. 

Rose nodded with a frown, recalling Steven’s memory of the Reef as she walked towards the Creation Center. 

She hurt her pearls so badly they had never stopped hurting. One of them was her first friend and the other was one of her two great loves. How was she going to fix it? How was she going to make sure her pearls never got hurt again? In fact, how was she going to stop all of her friends from ever getting hurt again? 

How many of them would be shattered? Would they get corrupted again? How many lives would she ruin all over again? 

Rose wanted to run but she didn’t; she stood firm. Her son, her baby had suffered every consequence of her actions. She owed it to him to face those she hurt and actually be able to make things better for once in her miserable existence. 

“Welcome Pink Diamond, please identify the owner of the new pearl,” Shell instructed. 

“Pearl,” Rose replied. Shell had accepted “Um, Greg Universe” so maybe she would accept Pearl as her own owner. 

“Error. Unacceptable response. Please identify the owner of the new pearl.” 

“Herself,” Rose tried again, unwilling to give up. She knew she might be fighting a losing battle but she had to try. Pearl deserved freedom and while it was amazing that she had fought to be free, her freedom should not have had to be earned.

“Error. Unacceptable response. Please identify the owner of the new pearl,” Shell repeated in the same matter of fact tone that just enraged Rose.

“No one!” Rose exclaimed, growing frustrated. 

“Error. Un---one moment, Pink Diamond, we have a Pearl whose owner is designated as No One,” Shell announced much to Rose’s astonishment. 

Seconds later a shell appeared, with the gem of a pearl emerging and then a familiar Pearl appeared. 

Rose’s eyes lit up as she realized that not only was Pearl wearing the jacket she wore the last time Steven saw her but also instead of doing the pearl song, she looked around bewildered before her eyes landed on the diamond, gasping before she said one word that gave Rose no end of joy. 

“Rose,” Pearl whispered, her hands involuntarily going to her mouth, her eyes becoming watery.

“My Pearl,” Rose murmured, tears in her own eyes. She was so happy to see her lover, especially knowing she wouldn’t have to go through two thousand years of coaxing her out of her shell and that she would not have to stop existing for Pearl to be free. 

It was going to be okay. 

They embraced and just cried together, barely even to able coherently convey how much they missed each other let alone be able to talk about what had happened to them. Just when they were able to stop blubbering, they heard Shell greeting Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond, informing them where Pink was. 

Rose quickly stood in front of Pearl, allowing her to shapeshift into an “appropriate” Pearl outfit before the two diamonds could see her. 

“Pink, there you are. We’ve been worried sick about you,” Blue said, looking quite relived to see her. She stretched her hand out and Rose involuntarily flinched, taking a step back. Blue’s expression turned from relief to hurt and concern but before she could say anything Yellow spoke up:

“What were you thinking running off like that?” Yellow Diamond demanded. “You caused a ruckus and then you just disappeared, leaving Blue to worry.”

“I broke my pearl,” Rose admitted softly, almost pleased when tears started running down her cheeks as it helped sell the lie, she was about to tell. “I couldn’t heal her so I thought I’d save you the trouble and make a new one.”   
  
  


“You broke your Pearl! I told you those tantrums of yours were getting out of hand!” Yellow admonished her, pressing her hands to her forehead, shaking her head in exasperation. “Where are her shards? Perhaps we can get some use for her if we harvest them.”

“You can’t!” Rose shouted, unable to keep the horror out of her voice as she looked up at the startled faces of the diamonds. She quickly returned her gaze to the floor and lowered her voice. “I mean you can’t. I told the pebbles to get rid of her shards, I couldn’t bear to look at what I had done to her.” 

  
“Oh Pink, she’s just a pearl. You don’t need to waste your tears on her when you can just make a new one,” Blue assured her in a soothing voice. 

Rose gritted her teeth and her hands clenched into fists. “She was my friend,” she hissed. She almost wanted to slap away Blue’s hand as Blue put it under her chin, but she felt Pearl gently lay a hand on the small of her back, allowing her to calm herself before she did or said something she regretted. 

“Don’t worry, Pink, we’ll get you another little playmate,” Blue promised as she gave Rose a comforting smile. 

All Rose could do was make a smile that was more akin to a grimace. 

“Hopefully you won’t break this one,” Yellow grumbled. 

“Yellow,” Blue warned, shooting her fellow diamond a stern look before turning back towards Rose. “Pink, I promise you will love your new playmate just as much as your pearl. Now would you like to introduce us to your new Pearl?” 

Keeping her eye averted and making the diamond signal with her hands, Pearl stepped out from behind Rose.

“My diamonds,” she greeted them.

“Hmm, she has a forehead gem,” Yellow observed, her brow knitting in confusion.

“Uh, yes, I thought White would prefer I had a more sensible Pearl and forehead gems are known to be more sensible,” Rose lied quickly. “And I know that White always did think I needed a more sensible Pearl to keep me out of trouble.”

From her vantage point, she could see the corners of Pearl’s mouth quivering as she tried not to smirk at that comment. 

“I’m sure White would be pleased at your thoughtfulness,” Blue complimented her. Yellow shrugged as if it didn’t matter to her either way to her. “Are you sure you don’t want to customize her though, Pink? She’s rather plain.”

“No, I love her the way she is. I think she looks beautiful in her outfit,” Rose gushed, glancing at Pearl in hopes she’d understand Rose’s hidden compliment: judging from the blue on her cheeks, she had.

“Well we should return to Homeworld,” Yellow decided. “There is a rumor going around that you ran away and we don’t want White hearing about that.”

Rose nodded, waiting until Yellow and Blue had turned around before, shooting Pearl an apologetic look as she silently pointed behind her, reminding her that for the time being Pearl would have to walk behind her instead of alongside her.

Pearl nodded in understanding, giving her a half smile before they followed the two diamonds back to Homeworld where they would have a very long talk about what happened and more importantly what they were going to do now.

But for now, they would play the part of diamond and pearl, eagerly awaiting the day when they could be the traitorous rebel Rose Quartz and her second-command the terrifying renegade Pearl.

* * *

Thankfully Rose was allowed to return to her palace instead of having to go see White, something Rose was grateful for as she was uncertain how she would react to seeing the gem who loved playing mind games and had ripped out Steven’s gem.

Stars, there was a part of her which wanted to rip out White Diamond’s gem and shatter her for all the pain she caused. That diamond wasn’t worthy to look at Steven let alone touch him.

Rose shook her head, clearing it of such rageful thoughts. White had been changing for the better in Steven’s future and she would be doing him a disservice if she didn’t at least try to help the diamonds see the error of their ways.

However, she wasn’t Steven. She didn’t have his compassion or endless patience. More importantly, she wasn’t the human son of the diamond they had thought was long dead. She would have to find a different way to get through to all three diamonds.

“Where is she?” Pearl asked, breaking Rose from her brooding.

“Who?” Rose inquired, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“Volly—I mean Pink Pearl,” Pearl answered. “I can keep her safe until we get to Earth.”

Rose went over to where she had hidden Pink Pearl, making sure not to pop the bubble and gave it to Pearl who put her in her gem.

“Pearl, do you know what happened? I have Steven’s memories but nothing in them that would suggest why we were sent back,” Rose said. Pearl’s brow furrowed as she tried to remember and then her eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth. “What it is it? What happened?”

“There was this blue flash. Amethyst and Garnet were standing with me. I think Bismuth was outside the house. Lapis and Peridot might have been with her. Rose, I don’t think we’re the only ones who came back,” Pearl explained, her voice shaking with horror.

Rose swallowed, realizing why Pearl was so worried. While Amethyst was a bit of a moot point for the moment considering she hadn’t even been created as was Peridot, Garnet, Bismuth and Lapis would already be somewhere on Homeworld or on one of the Homeworld controlled planets.

What if they tried to get to Earth and were captured or worse shattered?

No. They would find each other. Rose was certain of that she would find them or they would find her.

“It’s going to be okay, Pearl. We just have to be patient. We’ll figure something out,” Rose said more to herself than Pearl.

Rose couldn’t help but think that coming back wasn’t just a chance for her to undo the mistakes she made. After all the one good thing she had done was give her gem to Steven and she had even managed to mess that up by leaving every gem she had messed up for Steven to fix.

Once she had been certain that dying would make everything better. That everyone would be better off without her and while certain events had supported that view, she realized that even if everything went perfectly this time around, giving up her gem, even for Steven, was not an option. She had eight thousand years to figure out how to get her baby, her Steven, without losing herself. This time she would not fail her friends or Earth. This time she would do it right and when she had Steven, he would grow up without any of the trauma he had gone through.

* * *

**One hour ago**

“All right troops, we have a new assignment,” Ruby 1OC began, only to interrupted by what sounded like a strangled sob. She looked down the row of rubies to figure out where it came from. She noticed one of the rubies had a gold headband. She blinked. When she inspected the rubies a few minutes ago, she didn’t remember seeing one with a gold headband. “You there. State your name!”

“Ruby 3SG,” Ruby replied miserably. “I must have been dreaming.”

  
The commander ruby frowned, wondering what dreaming was. “Well don’t. We have a very important mission coming up,” she told her sharply before turning back to her notes. 

She spun around when she heard a happy squeal. The ruby she had just scolded was now staring at a metal band on her hand with an overjoyed expression on her face: “It was real!” she exclaimed.

“What is the matter with you, solider! Is your gem cracked!” the commander demanded, wondering if the ruby was defective and would have to shattered.

The Ruby paid her no mind and instead broke out into a run, leaving her squadron to stare dumbfounded.

It took a few minutes for the commander to break out of her stupor. She ordered two of the rubies to go find her and bring her back so she could be punished immediately. She could only imagine Yellow Diamond’s reaction if she learned that one of her ruby commanders could not control the rubies in her squad.

Unfortunately, they were unable to recover the strange acting ruby thanks to an even stranger incident causing chaos, leaving many gems to label this day as the day Homeworld went mad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally it was just Rose coming back but I really wanted Rose to have to deal with her actions, which means dealing with some of the gems she hurt. I also know that a long time ago, people were of the opinion that if Rose would ever return Pearl would loose all her character development, I disagree. In fact I think their relationship would be stronger with both of them actively trying harder to communicate.  
> I don't know if anyone who reads this is a fan of the Song of Fire and Ice/Game of Thrones franchise but there are two fanfics called Robb Returns and the Raven's Plan. While the title is obviously referencing Robb Returns, this story is more inspired by the Raven's Plan.  
> I don't know if anybody has read them but I felt it was only right for me to mention them being a inspiration.  
> In an early draft, the diamonds were supposed to find Rose after she had hidden Pink Pearl away and was crying. She would have lied to Yellow and Blue, saying that she had told Pink Pearl to go away and didn't know where she was. After Yellow can't find her she and Blue take Pink to the reef to make another Pearl. Our Pearl forms and she just stares at Rose so Rose has to mouth sing to her so she would give herself away to the Diamonds.  
> I think I was right to change it as it made the diamonds kind of stupid and it ruined the moment where Rose and Pearl see each other again.  
> I also wrote a part where Shell gets fed up with Rose's insistence of giving "unacceptable" answers for Pearl's owner and scan her gem to make her the owner, causing Rose to call her a cheater. I didn't think that made any sense and I kinda liked the idea of Pearl's owner being officially set as No One.  
> By the way, I had reasons behind the letters and numbers given to the two Rubies. The Ruby commander is 1OC because she is the first Original Character we meet in this fic. As for our Ruby, well does anybody have a guess what 3SG stands for?


	2. Of Sabatoge and Desertion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearl and Rose find out something about their friends and Rose learns she will soon be meeting an old friend for the first time again. A Cloudy Amber finds herself smack in the middle of a Great Escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like Rose Returns was a better title. Does anybody disagree?

“You should be angry at me,” Rose whispered. They were lying together in Pink’s palace, just out of sight of the window where White Diamond could peer in from her own window---well at least she might be able to. Rose wasn’t actually sure how much White could and could not see, but she was not about to take chances, not where White was concerned.

Every step they took would have to be perfectly executed and well thought out. One mistake and their rebellion would be over before it had ever begun.

“I am angry at you but I’m also happy that you are alive and you’re here. I missed you so much, Rose,” Pearl murmured, reaching up to stroke Rose’s face. “You don’t know how painful it was without you.”

“Actually, I do. I have Steven’s memories,” Rose reminded her, pressing Pearl closer to her as if to remind the pale gem she was there. “I saw everything, Pearl and I am so sorry. You deserved so much better.”

“It wasn’t all bad,” Pearl told her, closing her eyes, perhaps getting lost in her memories. “I learned I could live without you.”

“I knew you could. I thought you all would be better off without me,” Rose admitted, averting her eyes as she stroked Pearl’s arm. Pearl said nothing but Rose could feel her bristling. “Pearl, if you’re angry at me, you can tell me. You can rant, rave, even hit me if you want to. Don’t keep it in, let it out. I promise I won’t be upset.”

“We have two thousand years give or take before we get to Earth. Plenty of time to hash out my grievances,” Pearl said softly, nuzzling Rose’s shoulder. “Until then I just want to focus on the now. We’re alive and together again.”

Rose said nothing, just closed her eyes as she held Pearl close, imagining they were cuddling on a beautiful grassy hill overlooking a field of flowers.

Soon they fell into silence, clutching each other as if they were afraid that if they let go, the other would disappear.

No words could describe just how therapeutic it was to be touching each other, the mere reminder they were real, alive and together.

Stars, they were trapped in a toxic environment, one filled with gems who were brainwashed into believing that they were to be perfect and could not do anything outside of what they were made to do.

They had no way to contact their friends, to protect them, bring them to safety. Even if they could find their fellow Crystal Gems, they had no idea who remembered and who didn’t. And without the rebellion, they couldn’t inspire gems to take up arms against their overlords, not when they were trapped on this horrible planet.

But when Rose and Pearl lay together, closed their eyes, and just took comfort in each other’s embrace, they could pretend they were on Earth, that this was just a sweet moment between them and that their friends would be waiting for them when the moment ended.

Garnet would smile knowingly. Amethyst would probably make a dirty joke that make Rose laugh and Pearl blush.

Bismuth would be chatting with Lapis and Peridot or perhaps she would be wrestling with Biggs Jasper and Snowflake Obsidian while the former two were working on their meep morphs.

The Famethyst and the Rose Quartzes were getting into mischief, playing with the other Crystal Gems. Spinel and Pearlie were playing a game together, perhaps juggling. Connie was practicing with her sword and Greg, always compassionate Greg was either cooking or singing a song on his guitar.

And then there was Steven, he would run up to them, stars in his eyes, with the biggest, most adorable smile in the whole world on his face. Unburdened, innocent and happy. 

A perfect fantasy, one Rose was determined to make happen.

When Rose opened her eyes, she was disappointed to see the pink glittering walls of Pink Diamond’s palace, to see Pink Diamond’s puffy outfit complete with pink slippers that had white little pom poms floating over them.

As if to fully bring her back into her harsh reality, Rose heard the diamond chime, forcing her and Pearl to separate, standing as far away from each other without making it look like they were hiding anything.

The door opened to reveal Blue Pearl. “Pink Diamond, my Diamond has requested your presence,” she said formally, doing the diamond salute.

There was a part of Rose which wanted to refuse, tell Blue Diamond that she was still grieving over shattering her pearl and therefore didn’t want to see anyone. But if she did that, she was certain the diamond would come to her room instead, perhaps lecture her over letting the death of a pearl upset her so much, not understanding why Pink would be so overcome about shattering a gem albeit accidentally.

“Thank you, Blue Pearl, please inform Blue Diamond, I shall be there momentarily,” Rose informed her in a tone that made it clear she was dismissing the pearl.

Blue Pearl looked uncomfortable, probably fearing that her diamond would not be pleased if she did not accompany Pink to her chambers but despite being a lower ranked diamond, Pink was still a diamond and her orders were not ones to be disregarded no matter how trivial.

The pearl bowed respectfully before closing the door.

“Pebbles,” Rose called, smiling as her little friends poked their heads out. “Can you make something that will tell me if a gem is one their way to my room?” she requested, deciding it would be prudent just in case she and Pearl were doing something not so easily hidden.

“Yes Rose,” the Pebbles replied much to Rose’s delight. She had not asked them to call her anything but Pink. However, her Pebbles had picked up on her dislike of being called Pink and how her Pearl called her Rose.

“Thank you very much,” Rose said earnestly as they started building a tunnel that would lead out to the hallway but would hopefully be concealed from view, not that anyone would notice a pebble anyway. They would make effective spies but Rose would think about that later. Right now, she had to deal with Blue. “I wonder what she wants.”

“I don’t know. But just be careful, if anyone can spot the difference in your behavior, it would be Blue Diamond,” Pearl told her gently as she walked to the door, preparing to open it.

“The worst she can do is send me to the Prison Tower,” Rose scoffed, realizing that it would have very little effect on her now. “I think I’ll live.”

“We have no idea if that is the worst, they can do to you,” Pearl pointed out, a slight note of irritation in her voice that Rose had never heard directed at her. “Besides if you act out, they might never give you Earth.”

Rose’s face fell as the weight of Pearl’s words struck her. They couldn’t afford a mistake. Their masks of a perfect diamond and her ordinary pearl could not slip even for a second.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be careful, I promise,” Rose assured her but at the same time, she couldn’t help but think that there had to be more they could do, instead of just waiting until they could get to Earth.

However, now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. Right now, they had an audience with Blue Diamond.

* * *

Rose realized too late that she might have wanted to ask Blue Pearl where Blue Diamond wanted to meet her. She was very thankful when she spotted Blue Pearl standing in front of Blue’s private room, saving her the embarrassment of having to look for the diamond.

“Pearl, please wait out here with Blue Pearl,” she commanded, hating having to do so but knowing it was necessary. Besides if Pearl stayed with Blue Pearl, perhaps she could find out if any gems of Blue’s court were behaving oddly.

“Of course, my diamond,” Pearl said, doing the diamond signal. It took all of Rose’ willpower not to wince at that or not to grimace when she entered Blue’s chamber, instead plastering a big smile on her face, praying it did not look fake.

“Pink!” Blue Diamond exclaimed upon seeing her, scooping her up and nuzzling her. “How are you? Are you feeling better?”

“I’m fine, Blue,” Rose replied as Blue Diamond put her back down. She was smiling so widely, her face was beginning to hurt.

“Good. You seemed so upset earlier so I thought you might be happy when I told you I have arranged for you not only to get your own special little place but also a brand new playmate,” Blue told her excitedly, clasping her hands together and beaming down at Rose as if those words alone were suppose to fill her with glee.

_Here in the garden, let’s play a game._

“What is it?” Rose asked, trying to sound excited, although she had a sneaky suspicion exactly what the surprise was and it was giving her mixed feelings.

On one hand, she was aware that Spinel was yet another gem she had hurt, regardless of her intentions to do so. She was also aware that the garden was perhaps the only place on Homeworld where she could say for certain that no one was listening to her, perfect for private conversations with Pearl. Not to mention it was equally perfect to hide away a certain not shattered Pearl.

On the other hand, Spinel knew that Steven wasn’t Rose and she still took her anger out on him, on an entire planet that’s only crimes were being loved by Rose. Not to mention, Spinel would see everything as a game and might not understand that there were times to be serious.

“Well I know how much you love those organic things like flowers so I found a planet where you can have a little garden,” Blue told her, with so much genuine excitement it was hard for Rose not to be swept up. “And we are also going to make you your own Spinel. Won’t that be fun?”

“Oh Blue, thank you so much! I can’t wait to play with her!” Rose exclaimed, even clapping her hands the way she had done whenever she was happy about something. It was hard to act the way she used to.

Blue couldn’t look more pleased by Rose’s reaction, clearly believing that Rose was overjoyed and not putting on a show to fool her. “I thought you might be, Pink. She will be here made in six cycles. Do you think you can wait until then?”

“I can try,” Rose assured her with a big grin. “That is if I don’t burst from excitement.”

Blue Diamond giggled, reaching out to stroke Pink’s hair. “Oh I am so glad you are back to your silly self, Pink.”

_“You haven't changed. So silly. So small.”_

Rose couldn’t help but frown. Blue had been adamant that they were so close. But in the end, she belittled her and hurt her just as much as Yellow and White had.

Pearl had said that Blue Diamond knew her best but in reality, Blue didn’t know her at all. She just thought she did.

“Pink?” Blue called, a concerned frown on her face. “Is everything all right?”

“Everything is fine, Blue,” Rose answered, smiling again, hoping she sounded convincing enough.

“Are you sure?” Blue Diamond asked, her brow knitting together as she studied Pink. “You looked upset for a moment.”

Rose chewed her lip for a moment, trying to think of an appropriate lie before deciding a half-truth would be the easiest.

“I just don’t like it when you call me silly,” she said, frustration coloring her tone which she didn’t even have to fake.

“Oh, Pink, that never bothered you before,” Blue told her as if she could know that for certain.

“It did, I just never told you before,” Rose explained, turning away.

“All right then. I won’t call you silly,” Blue decided, in a tone that suggested she thought Pink was being silly for taking offense, but she would indulge her anyway.

Rose decided this was one argument she wasn’t going to continue. “Thank you, Blue,” she said, still not looking at the other diamond for fear she might say something she would regret.

Thankfully Blue Diamond was called away for a court case leaving Rose and Pearl to make their way back to Pink Diamond’s Palace.

  
They were barely inside when Pearl sprinted to the holo-panel, searching through the database.

“Pearl, what is it? What’s wrong?”

“Blue Pearl mentioned that while you and the diamonds were at the Reef, several gems started acting strangely, abandoning their posts and running for the ship docks, but before they could get to one, a ship flew down and they all ran for it with a ruby fusing with a sapphire before the ship flew away,” Pearl explained.

“Garnet!” Rose exclaimed, her eyes lighting up and she pressed her hands together, relived and overjoyed to know that her favorite couple were together and fused. This also meant at least some of their friends had found each other and were making their way to Earth.

“According to these reports, several gems on other planets were acting the same way, and they also managed to take ships by overpowering the gems who had them by using abilities that were unique to them or by fusing,” Pearl read.

“Have any been captured?” Rose asked.

“Miraculously no. It seems that the Homeworld Gems were too bewildered and surprised by the sudden change in their fellow gems that they didn’t know what to do and by the time the shock wore off, our friends were already gone,” Pearl informed her, smirking slightly. “It also says that the ruby/sapphire fusion made a strange gesture with her middle finger.”

Rose giggled. “Go Garnet,” she complimented before sobering as she realized that was not going to be the end of it. “Has Yellow managed to find them?”

“According to what I’m finding, she’s tracking them and has sent ships after them. However it doesn’t look like they know where the Crystal Gems are headed.”

Rose frowned, thinking that it would not do for Yellow to realize that the rebels were in the same area as the planet she and Blue choose for the youngest diamond to colonize.

“Is there any way you can jam the signal so she can’t see where they go?” she asked.

Pearl’s smirk turned into a playful grin. “Me a pearl knowing how to do something so complicated? I don’t think I have the intelligence of a tourmaline or a peridot,” she simpered dramatically. “I wouldn’t know how to access the main system through a backdoor, allowing me to remotely hack into the tracking system causing it to spit out the wrong coordinates.”

“My, my, are you showing off?” Rose teased her. “If you are trying to impress me, it won’t work. I already know how brilliant you are.” 

Pearl blushed blue and reached into the control panel, her eyes flashing with data. Rose waited patiently as Pearl did whatever she had to do. “Ugh, that always leaves me with a funny feeling,” Pearl groaned once she had finished and detached herself from the control panel, shaking her head. “Okay, I did it. Hopefully Garnet and the others can stop whoever comes after them and keep them on Earth. I also sent a virus to as many gem holo desks as I could including Yellow Diamond. That should keep them busy for a while.”

“You can do that?” Rose asked in surprise. She knew Pearl was talented---several files on traitorous Crystal Gems mysterious disappeared during the rebellions and several battle plans were somehow intercepted by the rebels---however she was not aware that Pearl could make things like computer viruses especially when there was no gem equivalent. 

“Let’s just say some cyberbullies needed to be taught a lesson,” Pearl said, her eyes glinting dangerously, muttering darkly. “Call my best student names like that and you deserve to have your entire computer infected.” 

“And you’re sure they can’t trace any of this to you?” Rose inquired worriedly, not sure what they could do if they were found out.

“Rose, they will be too busy running around like, to use an Earth phrase, headless chickens, trying to fix the damage and stop the virus before it spreads to figure out where it came from. Besides they never found me before, why would they find me now?” Pearl asked.

“You could have gotten rusty,” Rose suggested, breaking out in giggles when Pearl threw her an offended look.

* * *

**_Several hours ago._ **

****

Cloudy Amber was board. Her Moonstone was visiting Beryl and had ordered her to stay behind to guard her ship. Officially Moony was congratulating Beryl for earning her first pearl. Unofficially, well, that was treason and Cloudy knew nothing about it.

To her surprise when Moonstone emerged from the building, Beryl, her pearl, and a sapphire were with her. They all seemed to be in a hurry to leave.

“Your Clarity, My Moonstone, Your Hardness,” Amber greeted each gem in turn, by order of rank. She wanted to ask what was going on, but she knew that it was not her place to question her betters so she quickly followed them onto the ship, dying with curiosity.

Moonstone said nothing until she had gotten the ship into the air, soaring away from the planet as fast as she could. The usually serene blue was noticeably on edge and she kept worriedly looking at the Sapphire as if she was waiting for her to say something.

Cloudy noticed that Berry was gently squeezing her pearl’s shoulders, whispering comforting words to the nervous gem.

“Do not be alarmed,” the Sapphire said, looking straight at Cloudy. “We are going somewhere where we can be free.”

Wait, what? Did that mean what she thought it meant?

“We’re deserting!” Cloudy shouted, glancing around to see if this was some weird joke being played on her. “Are you all cracked? The Diamonds will shatter us if they find out.”

“Not if they can’t find us,” Sapphire pointed out.

“You’ve all gone completely insane, haven’t you?” Cloudy declared, terrified out of her wits.

The minute they were discovered they all would be shattered. Maybe she could get some leniency for not actively taken part in this desertion plot especially when she not a willing participant. 

“Do you like being a subject to tyrannical gems who will destroy you if you are anything less than perfect? Wouldn’t you rather do something you want instead of protecting possessions of high ranking gems?” Beryl demanded, glaring at Cloudy as if she was daring her to lie. “Don’t you want to be free from their rules and restrictions? Be whoever you want to be and be with whoever you want to be with.” With that last sentence, Berry turned to look at Moonstone with the softest expression that seemed out of place of the gruff gem’ face.

“You don’t have to say yes if you don’t want to. We can drop you off on Homeworld and you can tell the Diamonds, Moonstone forced you to come with us,” the Sapphire told Cloudy gently.

Cloudy Amber was not the world’s bravest gem but she was luckiest for she had been given to one of the nicest gems on the planet to guard her things. Moony was kind to her and did not object to the nickname Cloudy had given her.

And then there was Berry, a true gentle giant who had once attacked a Morganite who had thought to use her status into bullying Amber into giving her one of Moonstone’s most prized possessions.

It was for those reasons the light yellow-orange gem had not outed their relationship when she had stumbled on it.

“Moony, are you really going to do this?” she asked her----Moonstone.

“Yes,” Moonstone replied, not a whisper of doubt. She then glimmered. “I sense more gems in the area. A lot more. They are apprehensive.”

Seconds later, six ships appeared. Cloudy swallowed, fearing that they were about to be attacked. To her surprise the ships only came up alongside them instead of attacking. Seconds later there were multiple beeps on the motherboard.

“They are hailing us,” Moonstone announced, glancing at Sapphire who nodded.

With a press of a few buttons, the gems piloting the six ships appeared on the monitor.

“Who are you? I don’t recognize you!” a fusion exclaimed, her eyes narrowed.

“You don’t? Well that’s sad to hear,” Moonstone said mournfully, glancing back at Beryl meaningfully.

“Crazy Lace, it’s okay, they are our friends,” Sapphire assured her, raising her hand for all the gems to see, causing the gems to gasp when they caught sigh of the metal band on her hand.

“Oh stars, Sapphire, it’s good to see you!” a Snowflake Obsidian exclaimed. “Where is Ruby?”

“On Homeworld,” Sapphire answered. “We are going to pick her and the others up. Once we have, set a course for Earth, we can’t afford to lose much time.”

“All right. We’ll cover your tail while you go down there,” a Black Onyx told her.

“Who are these guys?” Cloudy Amber asked in awe as the seven ships flew to Homeworld.

“The Crystal Gems,” Sapphire answered, a smile tugging at her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To use Pearl's phrase, everybody is going around like headless chickens instead of trying to stop the escape attempts because one minute everything's normal and the next it's like gems have gone bonkers which the Crystal Gems are taking full advantage of.  
> And if Pearl and Rose didn't do a little sabotage during the rebellion I will eat my hat (I don't have a hat but still).  
> Also I hope you like my idea for what Moonstones can do. They basically can sense things like gems or creatures nearby, how many there are and how they feel.


	3. Acting Oddly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose spends some time with the diamonds much to her displeasure. Pearl cheers up her GF. Meanwhile a friend of Turquoise changes before her very eyes.

When she had received the invitation to join White, Yellow and Blue at Blue’s pool, Rose had not wanted to go. It was bad enough that she was stuck on Homeworld and had to endure gems treating her like a diamond but to have to also be around the three other diamonds who would talk about shattering gems and destroying organic life like it was nothing; it would be pure torture.

She thanked every star in the sky that she had Pearl, otherwise she might go mad being here, unable to run to Earth, reunite with her friends----if they still wanted to be her friends that is. Other than Garnet, Amethyst and Bismuth, she had no idea how anyone else had reacted to the truth about her or if they would ever forgive her.

Unfortunately, Pearl, being the more pragmatic one--- “well one of us has to be,” she teased--- insisted Rose join the diamonds in the pool, not wanting them to suspect that something was up with the fourth diamond.

Thankfully none of the diamonds seemed to notice that Rose was not enthusiastic at being there nor that she didn’t seem to want to swim to the bottom of the pool and sing like she used to do. Of course, they were a bit preoccupied with the strange events that had been happening in Homeworld three days ago.

“All my files are completely corrupted. My tourmalines can’t make heads or tails of what happened, only that it seems to be spreading to off-planet computers. It’s going to take cycles to fix everything,” Yellow Diamond complained.

It took Rose all her willpower not to turn and wink at Pearl.

“Have you any idea who is responsible for this?” White asked in a calm voice but there was just something about her tone that sent shivers down Rose’s side.

_“Time to come out, Pink.”_

She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She glanced over and realized Blue was giving her a concerned look. Rose tried to smile but it was obvious that Blue was not convinced.

Rose couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated at herself. She used to be so good at acting like she was still Pink Diamond, it was so easy to pretend, to lie about everything. Perhaps it was her desperation to get back to Earth that was making it hard for her to act like she was okay.

“Unfortunately, we are too busy trying to scrub this pest thing out of our system and stop its spread to look for the gem responsible,” Yellow admitted, messaging her temples.

“I wonder if this was the fault of those horrible gems,” Blue Diamond suggested, turning to look at Yellow. “When we catch them, they will all be shattered for their crimes.”

“If we catch them, you mean,” said White Diamond coolly. “If they are indeed the cause of this great mess than they might be using it to get themselves so far away not even our sensors can reach them. Have you received word from the gems you sent after those seven ships?”

“I have not. Their handlers have lost all contact with them which can only mean whoever those gems are, they have shattered them to remain uncaught,” Yellow guessed with a sigh. “I can only hope that they will never return.” 

“And what? We just let them live after they insulted us so greatly!” Blue exclaimed, outraged.

“Somebody is taking the ruby/sapphire crossfusion rather personally,” Yellow Diamond deadpanned, giving Blue a small but amused smile.

Blue sniffed haughtily. “They are an abomination. A disgusting thing that has no business existing,” she said, her nose wrinkling in revulsion.

Rose was quite glad that none of the diamonds looking at her as she was not sure she was hiding the murderous fury she felt at that statement.

_Garnet is a beautiful expression of love. Just because you can’t understand her doesn’t make her ugly, it just makes you stupid._ Rose thought hotly.

Suddenly she remembered the report she and Pearl had read about Garnet and she smirked, being sure to morph her expression into one of perplexed innocence.

“Didn’t that fusion make this gesture before she flew off? What does it mean?” Rose asked, raising both her hands with all of her fingers but her middle fingers down. She then proceeded to flip off each diamond by acting as though she was simply demonstrating the gesture, only stopping when she heard a squeak from behind her that sounded distinctly like someone desperately trying to hold in their laughter.

“Some sort of mocking salute, perhaps? Who knows what those crazy gems were thinking? The best thing to is just forget about this whole pandemonium,” Yellow said, waving her hand dismissively.

  
“Oh? You don’t think it would be worth hunting them down to make examples of them?” White Diamond asked, raising an eyebrow. Rose noted that the head diamond seemed genuinely curious instead of passively aggressively telling Yellow had she should be doing instead.

“I have given orders for these deserters to be shattered on sight but between the ruckus they caused and whatever is going on with all the databases, I don’t think they would be worth the resources,” Yellow explained.

“Besides, they fled so that means unless they have a death wish they won’t be coming back,” Rose pointed out, causing three diamonds to look at her in surprise. “We can just act like it is business as usual and wait for everyone to forget it ever happened.”

Although Rose would like nothing more than for the Crystal Gem’s message to spread, she knew that for now it would be best if all her friends were forgotten about as it would mean that eventually Homeworld would stop looking for them.

“Very well put, Starlight,” White said approvingly. “I’m glad you are looking at things logically. After your latest fit, I was beginning to worry that you would never stop being so silly.”

Knowing instinctively that Blue was looking at her, Rose made sure to keep her scowl inside and an innocent smile outside.

“Well I started realizing that my behavior wasn’t getting me anywhere so I realized that I’d have to be better,” Rose lied through her teeth, keeping her voice as sweet as she possibly could.

“I am most pleased to hear that, Starlight,” White Diamond remarked, reaching out a hand towards Rose.

Rose suddenly saw the moment when White revealed what she had done to poor broken Pearlie, the moment light appeared in the sky to corrupt her friends and the moment she tore out Steven’s gem.

Terrified of how she would react if she didn’t get away, Rose dove down into the water, just before White could catch her.

“Five seconds of being mature. That’s a new record,” Yellow’s garbled voice snarked from above. Rose quickly swam over to Yellow and headbutted her leg. “Oh, that’s it! You are going to pay for that you little---”

Within seconds, the diamonds were reaching down into the water, trying to grab Rose who kept avoiding their hands. They started laughing and their joy was infectious and suddenly Rose remembered those times they spent with her, playing and laughing. Actually, acting like a family.

Sometimes it was easy to focus on the bad and forget the good. Sometimes it was easy to forget that they had changed over time, repenting for their dictatorship ways.

* * *

However, playtime was soon over as the communicators were ringing and the diamonds soon left Rose in a drained pool.

As usual she and Pearl walked to her rooms silently, not daring to talk until they were in the “comfort” of Pink’s Palace.

“I have a surprise for you,” Pearl announced, once they had arrived. She went over to a section of Pink’s room and pressed her hand on a section of the wall, away from the window, which opened into another room. “I had the pebbles make a secret hideaway, where White Diamond can’t peer in and it is completely soundproof which means we can sing or talk without any chance of someone overhearing. We can also change forms for a little while.”

“This is the third most wonderful thing you have done for me,” Rose murmured as they entered and she finally turned into Rose Quartz, almost feeling like a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders as she saw herself in a mirror. Her dress, her body, her hair and the lack of shoes was the most beautiful sight she had to behold. Just the sight of Rose Quartz made her feel free.

“What was the second?” Pearl asked, knowing full well what the first one was. Even after all this time, Rose still credited the whole turning into Rose Quartz so they could sneak down to Earth as something Pearl had done for her.

“When you showed me that grove of lunar blossoms,” Rose replied, stars in her eyes as she realized that they would be able to see it for the first time again. Oh, to explore the Earth for the first time again would be magical, she just knew it.

“That was pretty amazing,” Pearl agreed as her cheeks turned blue. She then changed her outfit back into her jacket attire. She noticed Rose was looking her up and down and smirked. “Rose, are you checking me out?”

Now it was Rose’s turn to blush. “No, I just happen to like your jacket. I mean you have shoulders. I mean the jacket really brings out your shoulders,” the pink gem explained, growing just a little flustered.

“I’ve been told I look very good in jackets. Sheena actually said….” Pearl trailed off, her blush now covering her face. “It’s not important.”

“If it is important to you, it’s important to me,” Rose told her gently. “You can tell me about the humans you dated, I won’t get upset.”

“Of course not, why would you?” Pearl muttered.

“What does that mean?” Rose inquired, frowning.

“Nothing. It doesn’t matter,” Pearl said, shaking her head. When she saw Rose about to argue, she quickly added: “Rose, I promise we will have the most open and honest conversation on Earth but right now we have to focus on keeping an eye on Homeworld’s actives, look out for any of our friends who might come bursting out of one of the Gem Empire’s kindergartens with their memories intact.”

Rose shivered, thinking how horrible it would be if one of their friends was caught fleeing and wasn’t as lucky as the other gems who fled to Earth, shattered before she and Pearl could get to them.

She then sighed, wondering if she could even save them without revealing herself. “Pearl, what is wrong with me? I used to be so good at pretending to be Pink Diamond when did it become so hard for me?”

“It’s because you stopped being Pink Diamond for five thousand years,” Pearl pointed out, standing beside Rose as they both gazed into the mirror. “Even when you look like Pink Diamond, you are still Rose.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Rose interjected, giving Pearl a loving and grateful look.

“I understand it’s hard playing that part again, Rose. Believe me it is hard for me too,” Pearl assured her, placing her hand on Rose’s face, cupping her cheek. Rose placed her hand on Pearl’s arm and rested her forehead on Pearl’s forehead.

“I suppose it is not helped when I do things to make you laugh,” Rose whispered, her voice perfectly innocent, a mischievous smirk smile tugging at her lips.

  
Pearl giggled. “If Amethyst asks I was appalled that you made such an obscene gesture,” she said in stern tone that was ruined when she started giggling again.

“Considering who I was doing it to, she probably won’t believe you,” Rose pointed out before she began laughing herself.

Once again, Rose lost herself to the moment and twirled around with Pearl in her arms.

Soon it was Rainbow Quartz twirling about in front of the mirror, happy to be exist once more.

* * *

Yellow Diamond was working when Blue entered her chambers, but then again when wasn’t Yellow Diamond working. Blue Pearl immediately went over to stand next to her yellow counterpart as Blue Diamond stood behind Yellow and let out a very heavy and long sigh.

Yellow glanced up, either annoyed at being interrupted or at Blue’s less than subtle way of getting her attention. “May I help you?” she asked through gritted teeth.

“Only if you are not busy. Are you too busy for me, Yellow?” Blue inquired, her tone indicating that she might burst into tears if the answer was yes, her hands were clasped together and she was giving Yellow such big mournful eyes that it was very hard to say no to her. 

“No, Blue, I’m just trying to undo the mess that has completely turned our systems into a steaming mess of organic waste but please go on and tell me what is on your mind,” Yellow drawled, pinching her temples to stop the headache she had been feeling for the past three days.

“Well if you are going to be like that then I’ll just go,” huffed Blue, turning around and beginning to walk away. Her pearl did not move, knowing both diamonds too well to assume that she needed to follow her diamond.

“No, wait, Blue, I’m sorry. I am just a little frustrated and angry at everything that’s been going on,” Yellow apologized, walking over to lay a hand on her fellow diamond’s shoulder, staying her movements. “What is it? Has something happened to Pink?”

“Not exactly. She’s just been acting so strangely that I’m worried that something is wrong with her,” Blue explained.

Neither she nor Yellow saw the meaningful look their pearls gave each other.

“She seemed to be acting normal to me,” Yellow remarked.

“You don’t notice. You never notice,” Blue Diamond cried, a note of irritation ringing in her voice.

“I notice plenty,” Yellow contradicted, her brow furrowing in anger but she softened her tone and rubbed Blue’s arm. “I’m sure that you are just worrying needlessly.”

“But she keeps flinching when I touch her, and you should have seen the way she looked at White, half the time she looks like she wants to shatter her and the other half like she’s terrified of her,” Blue recalled, hugging herself as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Something is off with her, I can feel it.”

“Look Blue, she just shattered a gem, she considered a friend of hers. You know she never liked it when we shattered gems and having done it herself is affecting her badly. Soon she’ll forget about the whole thing and be right back to the way she was. Especially when you give her that Spinel,” Yellow Diamond pointed out.

“I hope you’re right,” Blue Diamond whispered doubtfully.

“Of course I’m right,” Yellow said, returning to her holo screen. “Now are there any more gems from your court missing that I can add to the list of gems to be shattered on sight.”

“No, just the Moonstone, her amber, the Lapis, the Aquamarine, two Jades and the Sapphire,” Blue answered, her expression going from a concerned frown to a black scowl. “I still can’t believe that gems of my court would be so foolish.”

“I can believe it,” Yellow teased, earning her a playful smack in response.

* * *

**_Three days ago_ **

****

Turquoise was chatting with Serpentine about a new court case coming up. Turquoise hoped she could convince Serpentine to come to her next ball despite how busy she was with all those assignments she had.

“That little shard thinks she is in the right even though Hessonite outranks her,” Turquoise sneered. “Honestly Blue Diamond might just shatter her for wasting her time.”

Serpentine laughed. Then suddenly, her face froze mid laugh. Turquoise blinked. What in the cosmos just happened? 

The green gem’s one luxurious mane was now in long braid with two parts sticking out behind her head. Her once elegant dress was now ripped in several places.

Serpentine looked around wildly, her eyes wide in shock. She then smiled when she saw a Bismuth carrying a Ruby heading towards the docks. She looked back at the blue gem and smirked.

“Your balls are boring and stuffy. None of the gems you invite are actually busy, we just don’t want to go,” she jeered before running off, shouting over her shoulder. “And you’re not funny either.”

Turquoise stared after her, her mouth falling open. She watched as Serpentine caught up with the Bismuth and the Ruby and was joined by a Topaz fusion, carrying two Jades under her arms.

Homeworld gems tried to attack them to stop only to be beaten back by Serpentine, the Bismuth and the Ruby. But before these strange gems could get away, a ship flew down. It opened up to reveal a Sapphire.

“Sapphy!” the Ruby cried joyfully, jumping up to glomp the Sapphire.

“Ruby! Thank the stars, you’re okay.”

To Turquoise’ absolute disgust, the two gems actually fused. She couldn’t believe a gem of her status would consent to fusing with a lower ranked gem. How was this possible? Had she gone as mad as Serpentine had obviously gone?

Now the crowd of Homeworld gems just stared at the fusion in a stupor as many gems ran for the ship.

The fusion shouted something inside the ship before turning to face the crowd of gems. She waved her middle finger at Blue Diamond’s palace just as the ship began to take off.

As Turquoise watched the ship, she noticed it was joined seven other ships hovering above Homeworld.

What in the nebula was going on? How many more gems were acting this crazy? What was this madness that seemed to have afflicted them and would it spread to other gems?

Turquoise shuddered, clearly she should be more careful of who she associated with for anyone who didn’t like her balls was utterly insane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear Lemon Jade does not remember but Topaz, bless her heart, recognized her components after meeting them through Garnet so she grabbed them and ran for it, not even telling them what was going on.  
> So Yellow and Blue's talk was interesting wasn't it?


	4. Try a Little Empathy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose meets Spinel and introduces her to Pearlie, deciding to leave her old pearl in the garden where she will be safe until they get to Earth. Meanwhile a Homeworld Gem gets a strange sense of deja vu.

Rose was about to meet Spinel for the first time again.

Nervous was one way to describe how Rose felt. Apprehensive, guilty, terrified, worried, absolutely positive that something would go wrong were also good ways to describe how she was feeling.

Her memories of Spinel while mostly good still had traces of all those times where Rose had felt suffocated by or annoyed at her playmate. Of course, abandoning the gem who only wanted to make her happy was not okay. Regardless, Rose still worried that especially in a time when she needed to focus on planning on getting to Earth and restarting the rebellion, she might not have the tolerance to put up with Spinel’s antics especially when the pink gem had only gotten serious when she had snapped and tried to destroy Earth and Rose’s friends.

Pearl had given her tips on how to handle such an _energetic_ gem, tips that suspiciously matched a memory of Steven’s where Greg was telling the gems how to handle an excitable five-year-old boy. However, Rose decided not to voice her observations out loud. 

The Garden and Spinel had finally been made many cycles. Yellow and Blue were waiting for Rose when she arrived. Spinel stood between them, bouncing excitedly. Her eyes went wide and her smile threatened to split her face when Rose appeared and Spinel leapt at the diamond, nearly knocking her off her feet.

“Oh, I am so excited to meet you!” Spinel exclaimed, giggling. “I’m your new best friend!”

“Isn’t she adorable, Pink?” Blue Diamond inquired, her hands clasped together.

_“She’s adorable and so much like Pink.”_

Rose couldn’t help but smile genuinely as she recalled Steven’s memory of Spinel meeting the diamonds. How happy they looked. How they had reached out their hands not to harm, but to love.

It gave her hope that maybe she could get them to see reason. Maybe she could convince them to change their ways just as Steven had done.

“I love her,” Rose admitted, holding Spinel close to her chest, looking up at Blue and Yellow.

  
Blue Diamond looked as though she might cry happy tears as if Rose had just paid her the highest compliment.

Although Yellow Diamond’s expression remained stoic as ever, there was a gleam of affection in her eyes.

Spinel apparently was bored of being hugged for she wiggled out of Rose’s arms and then tapped the pink gem on the shoulder: “Tag. You’re it!” she shouted before she ran off, laughing all the while.

Rose sighed inwardly, but chased Spinel around the garden, trying not to let the emotions churning inside her gut ruin their game. Eventually, she got lost in the moment, picturing running around with Steven, playing Steven tag and hide and go seek and whatever other game he would like.

Oh stars, to be able to play with her son would be wonderful. And had she not played with Amethyst, chasing her around the beach, patiently explaining to her that they needed to focus on beating the gem monster then they could go down to Beach City and eat as much human food as they wanted.

Why did Amethyst and Steven get her love and patience, but not Spinel? Shame filled Rose and she decided right then and there, she wasn’t just going to take her little playmate to Earth, allowing her to make friends with humans and gems alike. No, she would play games and spend time with Spinel, helping her curb her clingy behavior as gently and compassionately as she could.

Blue and Yellow watched Spinel and Rose play for what seemed like hours before they finally took their pearls and left. Immediately, Rose stopped what she was doing and waved Pearl over.

“Pinky, look at me! Look at me!” Spinel shouted as she made a silly face and then did a goofy handstand.

“That’s very amusing, Spinny, but I need you to be serious for a moment,” Rose told the pink gem gently, stamping down her annoyance.

“But I wanna play,” Spinel whined, tugging at Rose’s arm.

“We can play later,” Rose said, shaking her off. Her tone must have been a bit sharper than she would have liked because Spinel looked heartbroken.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked softly, looking down at her feet, her voice having a slight tremor. “Do you not like me?”

Rose wondered why Spinel would think that when they had been playing together just moments before---only stopping when the two diamonds had left. _Oh_. Spinel must have noticed that Rose had abruptly stopped playing with her the minute they were left alone and drawn her own conclusions.

The diamond winced, realizing she really needed to get better at seeing how her actions and words affected others. She then turned to face Spinel, raising her hands and began to tickle her mercilessly.

“What will it be, Spinny? Tickle attack or being serious for five minutes?” she teased.

“I’ll be serious! I’ll be serious!” Spinel exclaimed in-between fits of giggles.

Rose smirked and ended the tickle torturing, patting Spinel on her head. “I promise we can play again later. Right now, we have a secret friend for you to meet.”

Spinel looked perplexed. “Why is she a secret?” she asked.

“Because no one besides you, me and Pearl can know about her,” Rose answered. “She is our secret.”

The pink gem’s eyes lit up either at the notion of sharing a secret or because they were going to meet a new friend.

Pearl had been silent while this had been going on, but now that everything seemed settled, she pulled the bubble containing Pearlie’s gem out, popping it before laying the pink gemstone on grass.

Ten minutes later, Pearlie reformed, but not to her usual self. The buns of her hair were shaped more like roses and she was wearing a pure white dress with a golden trim.

Pearlie glanced around at the garden, surprised at the change of scenery, perhaps having assumed that she would still be in Pink’s palace. She didn’t seem disturbed by the two new gems even when one of them decided to tackle her with a hug.

“Hello, secret friend!” Spinel greeted her happily.

“Hello,” Pearlie said back, glancing at Spinel, Pearl and Pink in turn. “The diamonds think I’ve been shattered, don’t they?”

She didn’t even sound hurt, confused perhaps, but not hurt even though she had to know that Pearl was her replacement.

“I am afraid so and that’s why it is of the most vital importance if you ever see the warppad being activated or someone calls the communication line, you have to hide immediately until I give the all clear, okay?” Rose implored her, looking at both Spinel and Pearlie. Although, it was doubtful the diamonds would visit the garden or call the garden without Rose being there, it was better safe than sorry.

“Okay. But I believe you said you would explain everything,” Pearlie reminded her.

“It’s a long story,” Rose admitted, rubbing her neck as she struggled to think of a way to explain it without going into the bad stuff.

“Oh yay! I love story time!” Spinel exclaimed clapping her hands as she sat down cross legged, tugging Pearlie’s hand so she would follow suit. Pearl even sat down next to Pearlie, introducing herself properly to both Pearlie and Spinel.

Once they were all settled, Rose began to explain the slightly less devastating version of what she had done in the original timeline. She told them of how she had taken a new identity, startled a rebellion to save Earth and had formed the Crystal Gems. Of how she had faked her shattering and the diamonds had retaliated, leaving only a few gems left uncorrupted.

“And you’re planning on going through all of that again,” Pearlie interjected, her hand over her mouth, sounding a bit horrified.

“Well not all of it, but I most certainly will continue fighting not just for Earth, but for the freedom of gems,” Rose informed her.

“But what if the diamonds find out and decided to make sure everyone is wiped out including you,” Pearlie protested, sounding quite anxious.

“That is a risk I am willing to take,” Rose told her firmly.

“But---”

“I am not going back to the way things where before I found the Crystal Gems. I won’t be the diamond who cares about no one else, but herself. I refuse to throw balls and be the diamond Blue, Yellow, and White want me to be, ignoring the suffering of other gems,” Rose cut her off passionately.

“Well then we’re fight alongside you!” Spinel declared.

Rose beamed at her before turning to Pearlie. “I promise you that we will be ready for whatever the diamonds try to throw at us,” she said softly. After all, she was certain that together the Crystal Gems could figure out a way to counter the corruption beam. In fact, they might be working on it right now. “I won’t let you down.” _Never again._

“Okay,” Pearlie still seemed a bit unsure, but she managed to smile weakly. “You know I would follow you anywhere.”

Rose wanted to insist that Pearlie agree to come with them out of her own volition, not because she was following her diamond, only for the words to die on her tongue when she realized an unpleasant truth she had failed to take in account: Pearlie was legally dead. Therefore, the pink pearl had two options, either come to Earth or stay on a floating garden in space for the rest of eternity.

Feeling guilty, Rose drew Pearlie into a hug: “You will love it on Earth, I am sure of it,” she assured her, touching her non-cracked face and smiling. Everything was going to be okay.

“Is it as pretty as this place?” Pearlie inquired.

“Even better,” Rose gushed.

“Then I will love it.” 

* * *

After spending a few more hours in the Garden, Pearl and Rose returned to Homeworld, leaving Spinel entertaining Pearlie by juggling. As they normally did, the two gems did not say a word to each other until they were safely in the privacy of Pink’s Palace.

“Do you think I should have told them the full story?” Rose asked. “I just felt like everything was already so big, telling them about me breaking Pearlie and abandoning Spinel for so long that she snapped and attacked Earth would be a little too much for them to process.”

“No, I think you were right to omit that. There are some things that are better left unsaid,” Pearl answered her as she opened the holo screen, checking the newest conquered planets for any incidents that had popped up while they were gone.

“Speaking from experience?” Rose questioned, a curious eyebrow quirked. Pearl looked up, shooting her a puzzled frown. “Pearl, when I asked you what to send us all back, you gave me a vague answer and then didn’t say another word about it.”

“Rose, I---” Pearl began, averting her eyes.

“It’s okay. I know you will tell me when you are ready. Although I think I have an inkling of what happened,” Rose told her, closing her eyes for a moment. Steven’s memories were vivid, but they had stopped after he had turned back from his monstrous form, something she had thought was odd. However, she had a theory that perhaps he hadn’t wanted her to see the memories afterwards. “I don’t know how we got sent to the past, but I know why. Steven wanted me to fix my mistakes, didn’t he?”

“It wasn’t on purpose,” Pearl blurted out before blinking in surprise. “Wait, did you say Steven?”

“I know it wasn’t on purpose,” Rose said softly, flinching as a memory of Steven’s outburst flickered in her mind. She hadn’t even heard Pearl’s second sentence. “After everything he went though, he was so sick of going through so much pain because of me. I wouldn’t blame him if he hated me.”

“Steven doesn’t hate you, Rose,” Pearl contradicted, going over to the taller gem and laying a hand on Rose’s arm, rubbing it soothingly. “He’s angry and hurt, but he doesn’t hate you. It is just hard to empathize with someone who he never got a chance to meet. If he knew you, he would love you.”

Rose gave Pearl a tearful smile. “It won’t just be Earth or our fellow gems, we will fight for Steven too,” she whispered.

“We will,” Pearl agreed, tears beginning to fall. She then took a deep breath. “Rose, there is something you should know---"

“No, I don’t. Some things are better left unsaid. Steven sending us to the past has given us a chance to do everything right and I don’t need to know how it happened,” Rose assured her.

Pearl nodded as she rested her forehead on Rose’s forehead. “We’re going to be okay,” she said, sounding as though she was convincing herself as much as she was convincing Rose. “We fix everything and our Steven will never be unhappy again.”

* * *

**_Months earlier_ **

****

The deserters had given them quite a chase, but eventually they had caught up with them, following them down to a planet teaming with organic life. Their orders were simple, capture the deserters and bring them back to Homeworld where the diamonds would decide their fate.

Biggs Jasper stared when the ship touched down and she got her first view of Earth. What was this strange feeling? Like she had been here before and seeing the planet filled her with such a great warmth. 

She didn’t have long to ponder these strange feelings as the deserters appeared, ready to attack. Soon the clearing was filled with clashing gems. 

A bismuth jumped in front of her, fists raised and----suddenly she paused before letting out a whoop, hugging her instead of fighting her. A little freaked out, Biggs pushed the black gem away, wondering if this was some weird tactic to lower her guard or perhaps the bismuth was trying to infect her with her madness.

“Biggs?” Bismuth asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. She stood back up and raised her hands defensively. “Do you not remember?”

“Remember what?” Biggs questioned, not letting her guard down, but at the same time, unwilling to attack her. There was something so familiar about this gem.

“We’re friends. The Crystal Gems are your friends, Biggs,” Bismuth told her, sadness coloring her tone.

“Why would I be friends with a traitor?” Biggs demanded harshly, growing more and more rattled by the minute.

Before Bismuth could answer a tidal wave crashed into Homeworld’s ships, destroying the Homeworld Gems’ only way home. Immediately, the fighting stopped as everyone turned to look at the gem responsible: a lapis who was hovering over them, her arms crossed over her chest and an almost smug look on her face.

“I was on a planet further from Earth than Homeworld, I had to fly here without a ship and yet I managed to beat you by a day. What took you so long?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe it is not confirmed whether or not Biggs was created on Earth or not, but I wanted to have one Crystal Gem not have their memories.


	5. Rediscovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose devises a strategy that might save Earth from the bad effects of the kindergartens. Unfortunately White Diamond pushes the wrong button, causing her to relapse. Meanwhile Biggs settles in on Earth.

White and Yellow were arguing. Blue and Rose were watching it like it was a tennis match, unsure whether they should intervene if it got out of hand, knowing neither of the two older diamonds would take kindly to their interference.

“Why is production so slow? You should have found another planet to colonize by now,” White Diamond demanded. Although her voice was much softer than Yellow’s, irritation was dripping off of her tone.

  
“I already told you that thanks to disruptions of our holo screens and the group of deserters not to mention the disappearance of the gems I sent to find them, I am having had a hard time organizing my planetary conquests,” Yellow Diamond retorted.

“I am growing sick of that excuse. It has been six cycles,” scoffed White.

“Which is why it is taking so long. We are two cycles behind schedule because of the cleanup and fixing we had to do!” Yellow exclaimed, sounding exasperated, placing her hand on her forehead as if she was getting a very big headache.

“You know it would be much easier if we could reuse the planets we colonize,” Rose spoke up much to the three diamonds’ surprise.

“Pink,” Blue warned, giving Rose a meaningful look, practically begging her not to say anything and get herself in trouble.

“What are you talking about, Starlight? How could we possibly reuse planets when we have drained all the resources from it?” White Diamond inquired, frowning in confusion. It seemed she really did think Rose was becoming more mature considering she hadn’t dismissed her suggestion outright.

“That’s just it. What if we could find a way to make gems without draining all the resources, allowing us to use the planet more than once?” Rose suggested.

It had been an idea Rose had thought of from time to time. After all, if they could find a way to make gems without harming planets then maybe the same methods could be used for her to have Steven without giving up her gem.

“Pink, that would take too long----” Yellow Diamond began.

“It is taking too long now,” White Diamond retorted, glaring at Yellow before turning her piercing gaze onto Pink. “Tell me, Starlight, how exactly would this idea of yours work?”

“Well I don’t know yet. But if I could research it, maybe I could figure it out,” Rose suggested, trying to keep her expression perfectly cool and collected, not wanting the excitement that was bubbling up inside of her to appear on her face, least that gave White an excuse to dismiss it as a fleeting fantasy.

“How will you research it?” inquired White Diamond, a curious eyebrow raised. She looked like a cat ready to pounce on the mouse if she made a single mistake.

Yellow and Blue were also watching her in fascinated apprehension.

Rose swallowed, trying not to feel intimated. Her mind raced as she tried to come up with a plan that wouldn’t sound like she was just going to be a nuisance. Homeworld didn’t exactly have a library, but she knew there are some institute filled with countless records of gem history. Furthermore, if she could talk to some peridots about the kindergartens themselves along with a few bismuths on the actual creation, she might get some insight on how the process worked.

“The Fountain of Knowledge will give me information on planets and gem production. Not to mention if I could talk to gems that are involved with the making of kindergartens than it is entirely possible that I could figure out a way to be able to use planets repeatedly, cutting down the amount of resources and time we put in colonizing new planets and maybe it would even make gem production faster,” Rose explained, trying to sound more confident than she felt. 

“You would consort with lesser gems,” Yellow started to say, only to fall silent when White shot her another cold glare.

“I could talk to their handlers, but I think no other gem can explain the process as well as the gems literally made as kindergarten experts and so on,” remarked Rose, almost feeling sorry for Yellow as she could guess White’s willingness to listen to her came from Yellow’s lack of progress which was Rose’s fault in the first place.

“A valid point, Starlight, I can tell you put a lot of thought into this. You certainly have come a long way from that silly gem who was only interested in balls and games,” White praised her. “I suppose it goes to show that I was right all along. Instead of being coddled and spoiled, you should be given something useful to pursue to prove yourself capable. I am glad you took my words to heart and started acting in a way befitting of your status.”

Had Rose not possessed an ounce of self-control, she would have snorted at that because of course, White would give herself credit. In fact, if Rose’s experiment worked out, the oldest diamond would probably be patting herself on the back. However, if it turned out that she didn’t like the results, she would deem the whole thing as a failure and admonish Rose for wasting the Empire’s time and resources.

“I think you are well on your way to becoming a true diamond,” White Diamond cooed, clearly thinking she was complimenting the younger gem.

  
Rose smiled so widely she feared the other diamonds would realize it was fake. She hoped that they would mistake her shaking in rage as her being excited. She hurriedly asked to be excused, citing that she wanted to get started right away, fearing what she might say or do if she stood in White Diamond’s presence a second longer.

_A true diamond?! Shatterers, dictators, monsters. I am nothing like them! I will never be like them!_

Rose’s thoughts overwhelmed her and she barely registered that she was in Pink’s palace before she let out a scream of fury, a pink shockwave erupted from her, wrecking the room---just as it did whenever she had a tantrum. Oh stars, no!

“Pearl!” she exclaimed, spinning around and practically leaping at the pale gem who had quietly followed her back, knowing she could say nothing until they were alone.

“I’m fine, Rose, it’s okay. You didn’t hurt me,” Pearl assured her as the other gem searched her body, desperately checking that there was not a single crack anywhere on her.

“Whenever I got angry, I used to go to the most empty, secluded place I could find on Earth and just let it out. Sometimes I would scream, sometimes I would find something to tear apart, or just something to hit. I never wanted anyone to see me like that especially not you,” Rose confessed, her hands now holding Pearl’s hands tightly, tears sparkling in her eyes.

“You don’t have to hide from me, you never did. Did you think I would stop loving you if I had known?” Pearl asked softly.

“I just want to forget, pretend that I wasn’t such a monster,” Rose murmured.

“Rose, you are not---Is Steven a monster?” inquired Pearl.

The pink gem reeled back as if Pearl had just slapped her. “No! Of course not!” she exclaimed, shocked that Pearl would even suggest that.

“You saw his memories; you saw everything that he went through, how his powers began spiraling out of control, how he kept pushing everyone away, how he…” Pearl trailed off, her hand pressed to her mouth, muffling a strangled sob. She then swallowed and turned back to face Rose, her voice firm. “He needed us and we couldn’t help him. You need me and I am going to help you.”

“I don’t deserve you,” Rose whispered, smiling tearfully.

“I understand that you need to be careful with your powers, but you don’t have to hide a part of you from me,” Pearl assured her, stroking her face. “You never needed to conceal yourself.”

“Pearl, of all gems, you were the one who had the most faith in me, who know who I used to be. The reason I never told you about Pearlie is because I was scared that you would…” now it was Rose’s turn to falter, searching for the right word. “That you would lose your faith in me.”

“What happened to Pink Pearl was awful and you not meaning to does not make it less terrible. However, the fact of the matter is you never wanted to hurt her and you worked so hard to change, never wanting to hurt anyone again,” Pearl told her.

“And look at how that turned out,” Rose said, a mirthless laugh escaping her lips. She shook her head, clearing it of those thoughts. Everything she had done had come undone and instead of moping, she should be striving to keep it that way. “I think we should visit the Fountain of Knowledge first and see what we can dig up there.”

“Do you really think we can find an eco-friendly way to make gems?” Pearl questioned curiously.

“I don’t know, but I think it is worth a try,” Rose replied. It would be a good way to pass time on Homeworld as it would mean she’d have to spend less time with the three diamonds.

It would be a distraction from all those reminders, that despite everything she had worked for, she was Pink Diamond for better or for worse.

* * *

**_Months ago, on Earth_ **

****

Biggs was lying on grass, listening to the songs of birds, watching as the sun seemed to rise behind two mountains, turning the sky from pink to blue. It was so blissful, so beautiful, so amazing.

The Homeworld gems she had been with were split into two, some like Biggs had found Earth beautiful and were pleased that they had been stranded, giving them an excuse to stay. Others had fought with the Crystal Gems, trying to get their ships fixed so they could return to Homeworld.

To Biggs’ surprise the gems who did not want to stay were not detained, other than the fact that they could not leave the planet, and were allowed to roam about, in hopes that they too would come to love Earth and realize how much better it was compared to Homeworld.

“Room for one more?”

Biggs turned her head to see Bismuth standing a few feet behind her. “Plenty of room,” she replied, moving over slightly so the black gem could plop down next to her. “I think I’m starting to get why I fought a rebellion for this place.”

“Yeah. You always had that wide eye outlook when it came to Earth, saying that there was always something new sprouting up just waiting for you to explore it,” Bismuth recalled with a fond smile.

“Any news on why I can’t remember. Not that I’m complaining, mind you, I like rediscovering how great it is here,” remarked Biggs.

Bismuth chuckled before sobering. “I asked around, Lacey said she remembered you leaving Beach City to visit Ocean Town for a concert just before that flash of blue light happened and we were all sent to the past,” she replied with a frown. “That means it only affected the gems in Beach City.”

“What about the humans?” Biggs wondered.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to find out until eight thousand years,” Bismuth pointed out, half-playfully. “I can only imagine what it would be like if they kept their memories even as babies.”

Although, Biggs didn’t quite understand the joke, she decided not to question it, wanting to know more about the Crystal Gems---- _my friends_ she amended in her head. She might not remember them, but the way they treated her made her certain that was what they were.

Bismuth told her nearly a thousand stories about the original Crystal Gems and their many feats. Biggs could hardly believe she was apart of such a group of gems. A pearl who had no master, a peridot who had called Yellow Diamond a clod to her face, a ruby and sapphire who had defied the laws of Homeworld to be together and so many other gems who took a stand against Homeworld, despite knowing they could easily be shattered.

“Do you think Pink Diamond---”

“Rose,” Bismuth interjected firmly, grimacing.

“Right. Sorry. Do you think that Rose remembers?” Biggs asked curiously.

The black gem’s expression was unreadable. “I don’t know. But I hope so because she has a lot of apologizing to do and as much as I am loath to admit it, I’d rather Pearl be stuck with Rose than Pink Diamond,” she answered, wrinkling her nose as if she had said something distasteful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My view of White Diamond is basically she will accept change if it benefits the Empire. She also thinks one of two things will happen, Pink will get bored and that will be the end of it or she will work hard on figuring out a way to cut down on the resources needed to make gems, proving that she is ready for the responsibilities of a planet which of course would be used to see if Pink's plan would work.  
> You'll notice that Pearl isn't really willing to talk about how she feels about things. Right now, she thinks it is best to focus on Rose and getting to Earth, once again pushing her own feelings aside. This will change fairly soon.  
> Bismuth actually has no idea if Pearl even exists, remember the Crystal Gems left before Rose and Pearl returned from the reef and therefore to her, it would be far worse if Pearl was around pre Rose-Pink Diamond. I was going to include Bismuth's thoughts on Rose Quartz, but I decided to save that for a Crystal Gem member who did not have so much bad blood with Rose.


	6. Conflicted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Pearl meet the keepers of the fountain of knowledge and then later have a duet. On Earth, Garnet calls a Crystal Gem meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As much as I love Rebecca Sugar, the lack of a Rose/Pearl duet is just awful. Thank goodness for Deedee Magno Hall and Susan Egan who gave us a taste of Pearl/Rose duet, but it still would have been nice to get one in the show.  
> I apologize in advance for my lack of song writing skills.

Amethyst would have called the Fountain of Knowledge snobby just by the name alone. Rose agreed with that sentiment as she looked up at the pure white building shaped like a giant fountain, all it needed was water to be pouring out of it to symbolize the knowledge stored within.

Inside, it looked like a human library, but the shelves were filled with holo screens instead of books.

“My diamond,” a celestite greeted her with the diamond salute. Although her words and gesture were formal, the light blue gem’s smile was warm and genuine. She even turned her head so she could smile at Pearl too, instead of simply ignoring her and focusing on the diamond. “How may I be of service?” She bit her lips looking like she wanted to say something else, but was restraining herself.

Rose studied the gem before her. She had a round gem on her forehead, fluffy white hair, and elbow length periwinkle gloves that match her dress. There was something about her that put Rose at ease, not just because of her pleasantness, she just couldn’t put her finger on what it was.

  
“Pearl and I would like to see your section on colonization, kindergartens, gem production and anything you have on organic life,” Rose explained.

“Will you be taking these records with you or would you like a room where you may read in private?” Celestite inquired, her eyes lighting up. 

“In a private room, please,” Rose requested.

If Celestite was surprised by the diamond saying please and asking for a private room instead of demanding one, she didn’t show it.

“Howlite, please take our visitors to room sixteen while I get started finding the information they need,” entreated Celestite, glancing over to the side.

Rose almost jumped out of her skin when she fallowed the record-keeper’s gaze and saw an eerily white gem, who neither she nor Pearl had noticed, standing against the wall, practically blending in.

Just as Celestite had made her feel relaxed, this gem made her nervous. She looked as Pink Pearl had when she was under White’s control, except her hair was a light shade of grey and she didn’t move like a puppet on a string as she stepped forward. Her gem even had a similar shape as Pearlie’s gem, only on her chest instead of her stomach.

“Did I startle you, my diamond?” Howlite questioned in a quiet voice that sounded far too much like White’s for Rose’s comfort. She wouldn’t put it past the oldest diamond to have controlled a gem just to spy on her.

“No, I’m fine,” Rose said quickly, trying to keep her expression neutral. Spy or not, she didn’t want Howlite to think she had somehow offended her.

“I told you that you shouldn’t stand so still least someone mistakes you for a statue. Sometimes I am convinced that you don’t really exist and I am talking to myself,” Celestite teased.

_Definitely not a spy._ Rose decided, doubting Celestite would be so casual to a gem under White Diamond’s control. Now that she thought about it, she could remember that the gems White had made usually had her voice.

The howlite shot her a meaningful look before bidding Pearl and Rose to follow her to room sixteen. They walked in silence and it wasn’t until they had reached their destination did the other gem speak.

“I apologize for Celestite, we rarely receive any visitors and she can be a bit…” Howlite trailed off, having the air of someone choosing their words carefully.

“Friendly,” Rose suggested, a little bemused, wondering why anyone would need to apologize for that.

“No, no, that’s not it. Sometimes she forgets to keep things professional,” Howlite clarified as Pearl opened the door for them. “But she is the most affable and supportive gem, I have ever met.”

“At least she has a very good friend to keep her company,” Rose commented with a smile that only got wider when she saw a bit of pink appear on the white gem’ cheeks.

“I should go help her with getting your material. We will be back momentarily,” Howlite informed them, doing the diamond sign before leaving Pearl and Rose alone.

“Well I think we better start making plans to get those two off Homeworld,” Rose remarked, her earlier apprehension of the white gem now gone completely. Her expression grew pensive. “You know, I was thinking now that we have permission to go off world, maybe we could take advantage of us being able to leave to get some more get more gems to Earth.”

“That is a nice thought, but we should be cautious least the diamonds start realizing that the disappearance of gems is in correlation to you coming and going,” Pearl speculated gently.

“I know. But how many gems do you think would have wanted to be free, would have joined the rebellion in an instance? Take those two for example, we never met them before which means they might have been shattered for the crime of loving each other. There are so many gems we never got the chance to meet. I know I can’t save everyone, but…” Rose trailed off, swallowing a lump in her throat.

Pearl reached out and entwined their fingers. “I said we should be cautious, not that we shouldn’t do it,” she pointed out.

They quickly dropped their hands when the door opened and Howlite and Celestite returned, their arms filled with holo-screens. The blue gem looked quite pleased with herself as they put them down on the table.

“Forgive me, my Diamond, for taking so long. I could find very few records on organic life. However, I managed to track down a few, and I shall continue looking later. I found a thousand files on gem production and kindergartens so I thought you might want to start with the oldest, unless of course we could narrow it down by planet or gem. Am I talking too fast?” Celestite rambled, looking towards Howlite who nodded in confirmation with a fond expression on her face.

* * *

_Gems of all types were rushing towards her, ready to stop her rampage any way they could. She didn’t care if they were rubies or amethysts; she crushed them all beneath her feet, a sea of red, purple and orange shards stained the ground as she crashed through Homeworld._

_She roared angrily as she came to a stop in front of the diamonds. The three of them cowered before her, begging her, pleading with her to stop, promising to give her everything she ever wanted, just spare them._

_Why should she?_

_They wanted her to be like them. A perfect diamond. Unfeeling, detached, cold, cruel. Well they would get their wish._

_She raised her large pink paws, her claws sharp as she struck the diamonds, deaf to their pleas as she tore them apart._

_But it wasn’t enough, she wanted to destroy it all, all of Homeworld. The place where she had been trapped, miserable._

_“What have you done?”_

_Steven?_

_She blinked, looking down again. The shards of the diamonds were gone and in their place were three Stevens._

_The first was a child no older than four, his shirt far too big for him, staring up at her terrified, tears in his eyes. He didn’t understand what he was seeing. He had no mother so all he saw was a monster in front of him, a beast who would gobble him up. He barely had any emotional attachment to her, only knowing her as the main character of the stories the gems and Greg told him._

_The second was older, still childlike, but older. He stared at her with disappointment, sadness and regret. The creature in front of him was not the amazing woman, Greg and the gems had drilled into his head. His mother was supposed to pure, good, loving and kind. Seeing her as she truly was devastated him._

_Then there was the third one, a teenager on the cusp of manhood, his expression was one of resigned frustration as though he had expected this of her, having dealt with fallout of her mistakes so many times---mistakes he had to clean up---that it didn’t even surprise him anymore. She had destroyed his childhood innocence and now he looked at her in disdain, scared that he would one day become just like her._

_  
“I hate you,” the three of them spoke with one voice, causing her to go stumbling backwards as if their words were a physical blow._

_“I’m sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I never wanted this to happen,” she cried, tears falling like raindrops, washing away the carnage, but it wasn’t enough. It was never enough._

_She could apologize and cry for ten thousand years and it still wouldn’t heal the emotional wounds she had given to her family and friends._

_How could she possibly make up for everything she did? How could she change the future when she barely knew how to change herself? How could she fix her messes when she was still a mess?_

_“Hey at least you want to change. I know some people who go through life, thinking their way is the best and nothing is going to make them feel any different,” Greg’s voice whispered in her mind._

_And she could swear she could hear him singing, although she couldn’t quite hear the words._

* * *

Rose woke up with a start, glancing around at the pink walls of her palace, looking down at her hands before feeling her body, making sure she wasn’t a huge monster and that she had only been dreaming. Her cheeks were still wet and she hurriedly dried them, worried Pearl would notice and ask her what was wrong.

Luckily, she spotted Pearl at her holo-desk, searching the gem database, checking to see if there was any mention of the gem deserters or perhaps reports of gems popping out of the kindergartens running away as soon as they were out. She was so caught up with what she was doing, even humming a tune, she didn’t even notice that Rose was now awake.

The pink gem wondered if she should tell Pearl about her nightmare or not.

On one hand, she had promised to be honest about everything and never hide from Pearl. But then again, this wasn’t something that her partner needed to concern herself with.

_It was just a nightmare; it was no big deal._

_If you really thought that, you wouldn’t be wrestling with yourself over whether to tell her._

_I am not---wait a minute. Is Pearl humming Greg’s song?_

Rose’s head swiveled around and she got up from where she was sitting, creeping closer to the gem who had her back to her, trying to determine the melody.

_How do I spend all this money?_

_I’d rather just spend time with you._

_You could buy a house and a car._

“I guess that I can, but I already got a van,” sang Rose, causing Pearl to squawk in surprise.

“Rose, don’t do that! You startled me!” the pale gem admonished her, spinning around, blushing blue.

“You were singing Greg’s song,” Rose squealed, stars in her eyes as Steven’s memory of that fateful trip to Empire City.

“It was catchy.”

“You miss him,” Rose declared, her grin threatening to split her face.

“No, I don’t,” Pearl contradicted, not very convincingly, only to sigh when Rose gave her a disbelieving look. “All right maybe, I do miss him a little. But that wasn’t why I was humming his song. I just happened to like it.”

“I always liked Strong in the Real Way,” Rose commented playfully.

“I was not aware Steven was there for that,” Pearl remarked flustered, now embarrassed for a different reason. 

“He was and I think it is safe to say you did inspire him.”

Rose rubbed her arm, opening her mouth, wanting to ask about the other two songs Steven had heard Pearl sing, ones that revealed just how insecure her lover felt. However, those words died on her tongue, knowing Pearl wasn’t quite ready to talk about it yet and the last thing Rose wanted to do was push her.

Instead she smiled and lead Pearl to their secret little hideaway.

“Would you do me the honor of singing with me?” she implored her. 

“Oh Rose, I can’t remember the last time we did a duet,” Pearl exclaimed, her eyes lighting up in joy and excitement.

“ _I once longed to turn back time._

_Fix all those mistakes of mine._

_As much as I hate being in this terrible place,_

_I am glad that at least I get to see your beautiful face._

_This time, I know it will be okay._

_This time, it will go our way,”_ Rose began, cupping Pearl’s cheek with her hand.

_“As much as I would rather there not be another war,_

_At least time, I know who I’m fighting for._

_You, our friends, Steven and me._

_A chance to save our entire family._

_This time, the Crystal Gems will win the day._

_This time, we will not let the diamonds have their say,”_ Pearl continued.

_“Soon, we’ll be home again._

_We must be strong until then._

_This time, there will be no more lies._

_This time, I shall with you for every sunrise,”_ Rose sang.

_“I can’t wait to leave this world_

_So I can be that terrifying renegade pearl._

_This time, we can protect our friends._

_This time, we will make amends,”_ Pearl crooned.

After they finished their song, they sat together, enjoying each other’s company.

“Pearl, I had a nightmare,” Rose started to say, deciding that even if it wasn’t a big deal, she wanted to be completely open and honest.

* * *

_Meanwhile on Earth_

Serpentine had never, not even in the face of the diamonds’ corrupting light, been so afraid as she was, when she was suddenly thrust back to Homeworld. It was bizarre and frightening to one minute be at Big Donuts, chatting with her friends, then suddenly be standing in front of that dreadful bore Turquoise, smack in the middle of a planet she had always hated.

Had she not spotted Bismuth and Ruby, she might have freaked out right then and there. Luckily, they had made it off Homeworld and had returned to Earth.

But they weren’t safe yet.

“We have about two thousand years before Homeworld shows up,” Garnet began, adjusting her visor. “Which means we have some time to counteract any diamond attack.”

“Wait, why would Homeworld come? Wouldn’t Rose just not colonize this planet?” Snowflake Obsidian questioned.

“Maybe because she’s a diamond,” Serpentine muttered under her breath. Apparently, she had not been quiet as several gems turned to look at her. “Well she is, isn’t she?” she snapped defensively.

The green gem could still remember when Pearl and Garnet had told the newly healed Crystal Gems the truth of the matter, surrounding Rose and Pink Diamond.

Serpentine had felt betrayed, angry and shaken by the notion that Rose Quartz the one who had inspired them, encouraged them to be their true selves, to not follow their diamonds’ orders, was actually a diamond herself.

How could the trust anything that had come out of that deceiver’s mouth?

“Rose lied to us, but she is still the founder of---” Crazy Lace began to say.

“Co-founder,” Bismuth interjected, firmly.

“Co-founder of the Crystal Gems,” Lacey amended. “She is one of us.”

  
“Even if Rose was in the habit erasing gems, her gems, from existence, she wouldn’t do that to our Amethyst,” Garnet answered Snowflake's question, her tone broaching no argument.

Serpentine found she couldn’t argue with that. As horrible as the kindergartens were, the gems themselves did not deserve to deleted just because they were born there. Furthermore, as though, she couldn’t claim to be as close to Amethyst as Pearl and Garnet had been, but her time in Little Homeworld had made her appreciate the small purple gem, who had been fun to be around.

“How do we even know that she remembers? I think we have established by now that Steven is Steven, not Rose so we can’t be certain she has her memories,” Bismuth pointed out.

Garnet quirked an eyebrow. “Shortly before we got to Earth, our navigation system went down and according to Biggs, the same thing happened to the Homeworld ships. Do you think that was a coincidence?” she noted with a small smirk before sobering. “I am not saying that you have to forgive her or trust her, but she does love the Earth and she does believe in our rebellion. She never lied about being on our side. She is a Crystal Gem just as much as Pearl is.”

And there it was. The one way to stop all arguments about Rose even when the pale gem wasn't there.

There were two ways to anger a Crystal Gem. Firstly, say that their rebellion was a lie---built on one perhaps, but they had been fighting for a just cause whether or not their leader hadn’t been. Secondly, imply that Pearl was not a true rebel.

Sure, she had been complicit in the lies, sure she had known that Rose was a diamond---her diamond. However, anyone who fought by Pearl’s side, knew she was not subservient, she was not to gem to be trifled with or dismissed as a pretty play thing. Whether or not, Rose had ordered her to fight---and those whose faith in their leader had been shaken if not shattered knew that she hadn’t done that--- she couldn’t have possible have ordered her to be good at it.

And if Pearl, not to mention, Garnet said that Rose would fight with them, Serpentine would swallow any lingering resentment she felt.

Besides, war was coming, and at least this time, they would be ready for whatever Homeworld threw at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, Howlite is not being controlled by White Diamond. I just figured White Diamond was that type of egotist that she'd make sure gems matching her color would also match her voice. She just sparked an unpleasant memory for Rose.  
> Then again, as you might have noticed I am hinting something about her and Celestite so maybe I didn't need to clarify.  
> As you can see Rose is getting better at not bottling things up. She and Pearl still have a long ways to go, but still.  
> I love Greg with all my heart and I think that his friendship with Pearl is almost as important as his romance with Rose.


	7. Empty Spaces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Pearl get started on their new venture. Lapis, Garnet and Centi feel the absence of old friends.

When she had first arrived in the past, Rose expected to be spending most of her time inside her palace, hiding so she wouldn’t have to deal with what was quite literally her worst nightmare, until the day she could leave this awful place behind and return home, reuniting with those she loved, making up for past mistakes.

In hindsight, being able to divide her time between the Garden and doing her research was probably better as it distracted her from the fact that she was stuck on Homeworld. Furthermore, it gave her a perfect excuse to spend less time with the other diamonds, least she slipped up and showed her true self to them, calling them out for all the abuse countless gems had suffered at their hands.

The best part was White was letting her do this all on her own despite Yellow and Blue’s instance that someone should be sent with her to keep an eye on her. It had been a hard sell, but Rose had managed to convince the oldest diamond that it would be beneficial for her to do it by herself as it would prove she was responsible. Of course, she would gladly send reports to other diamonds, so they could see her progress.

White Diamond had agreed, stating that in exchange for giving Rose such freedom, she expected documentation of what Rose had gotten done at the start of every cycle on the dot.

“She is waiting for me to fail,” Rose grumbled. “I have no doubt that if I am even a millisecond late or not up to her standards, she will call my project a waste of time and probably ban me from doing anything ever again.”

“Well luckily for you, you have a Pearl who happens to be organized and proficient. In fact, I will have finished the first report before this cycle is over,” Pearl reminded her, sounding quite pleased with herself. 

“This is a team effort, Pearl,” her lover admonished her playfully.

Pearl looked up, glanced at Rose’s holopad which had only a few sentences written on it, the small pile of books on her side of the table, then the tall stack of books next to her own holopad which was already several pages of notes before giving Rose a poker-faced look that would have made Garnet proud.

“Uh-huh,” she deadpanned dryly.

“It’s not my fault you are so much smarter than me,” Rose said with a mock pout, before grinning at Pearl.

They were interrupted by the Fountain of Knowledge’s keeper bursting in, her arms full with more records. Howlite followed her with an iolite trailing behind her.

The Iolite was violet and she had a triangle cut gem on her forehead. She had lavender eyes which were staring at Rose as though she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She was shorter than both of her companions, but her arms and legs were as muscular as a ruby’s.

“My diamond, it is my pleasure to introduce Iolite, she is a frequent visitor to our archives,” Celestite introduced as Howlite put a comforting hand on Iolite who looked as though she wanted to flee.

Rose smiled warmly at the new gem, hoping to put her at ease. “It is very nice to meet you,” she greeted her sweetly.

“And this is, do you prefer Pink Diamond’s Pearl or just Pearl?” Celestite inquired as she turned towards the pale gem who seemed quite startled at being spoken to.

“Just Pearl,” she replied.

Rose wasn’t sure why she was surprised. Over the past few weeks, Celestite had proven to be a very open minded and very grandmotherly. Howlite was quieter and kept to herself, but it was clear she was very protective of Celestite and now Iolite.

“Hello,” Iolite greeted them, her voice rather deep for a gem her size. She glanced up at Celestite who beamed at her and then Howlite who gave her a nod, a comforting squeeze. “It is nice to meet you, my Diamond and, uh, just Pearl.”

“Iolite finally got transferred here so we got another set of hands to help us out. We have been hoping she would be able to join us here. But she kept getting assignment after assignment because she is so good at her job. Thankfully now we have extra arms to help us with this research project. Isn’t that wonderful?” Celestite gushed, her hands clasped together. Howlite nudged her and she quickly added: “If you don’t mind, my Diamond, I mean. I just thought some extra help would be nice. However, I don’t want presume… my Diamond.”

“The more the merrier,” Rose laughed, gesturing to the six empty seats around the table.

“That’s what I always say,” remarked Celestite, shooting her companions a meaningful look as they sat down in three of the chairs.

“If you don’t mind me asking, my Diamond, what prompted you to do pursue this?” Iolite questioned, slightly more confident than she had been before she entered the room.

“Well the official reason is because I wanted to save the time and resources it takes to colonize planets,” Rose answered. 

“Is the unofficial reason classified?” Iolite whispered, glancing around the room as if she was worried that somebody might be listening.

“I wanted a better future,” admitted Rose softly, her tone wistful. “Or at least I hope it will be.”

Almost on instinct, Pearl reached out towards her, only to hesitate at the last second realizing that there were other gems there.

“We’ve gone blind,” Howlite lied, not looking up from where she was scrolling though the records, although the corners of her lips did curve upwards. Iolite looked from Pearl to Rose and back again, rather transfixed. Celestite’s eyes twinkled knowingly.

Rose giggled as enclosed her hand over Pearl’s still outstretched fingers, entwining them for a moment before they went back to work. 

* * *

After a few hours of research and note taking, Rose and Pearl bid the Fountain’s gems goodbye before returning to Pink’s Palace.

As Rose read over the notes complied, Pearl checked on the logs from the various colonies to see if there was any odd activity.

“I would think before I start writing the first report White wants, we should visit one of Blue’s colonies where the gems haven’t emerged yet,” Rose suggested, her brow furrowed in thought. “I’d ask Yellow, but she’s not happy that White is giving me free reign over this project, I wouldn’t be surprised if she refused to let me see her colonies unless I agreed to be accompanied by her rubies or topazes.”

Honestly, it didn’t matter that much to Rose if Yellow or Blue had one of their gems escort her, but if she wanted to keep things quiet about Earth for as long as she could, she would have to make sure that White trusted her enough to be able to ensure that the gems of her court only reported to her.

“I’m sure that Blue Diamond will find a way around your instance of going alone,” Pearl warned her.

“I won’t be alone. I have you,” Rose reminded her sweetly. Pearl blushed blue, ducking her head shyly. “I’m sure she will. But it shouldn’t be a problem as long as we don’t act too friendly with the gems of her court.”

Knowing the diamonds, if there was even a hint that Rose was doing something “inappropriate”, it would off to the Tower, project scrapped, and quite possibly no colony. 

“Not to mention if you keep being so friendly, your propaganda about Pink Diamond might not work this time,” Pearl pointed out with a chuckle.

Rose’s brow creased, not quite understanding what was funny. “That wasn’t propaganda.”

Pearl’s head snapped towards her, her eyes wide in disbelief. “You mean when you said Pink Diamond was a selfish cowardly shatterer, you actually meant it?” she asked.

Rose stared at Pearl in bewilderment as Pearl stared at her in horror. “Of course, I did,” she replied, puzzled by the pale gem’s reaction. “Did you not know that?”

“No, I mean I knew you wanted to change and I know now why you wanted to change, but I didn’t think you actually saw yourself so badly even back then,” explained Pearl, biting her lips viciously as if she was angry at herself for not knowing that.

“Why wouldn’t I think that? With everything I’ve done especially with Pearlie, Spinel and you?” demanded Rose, her tone sharp with bitterness.

“Firstly, you are not allowed to use me. Only I can use…me,” Pearl trailed off, realizing how bizarre that sounded before shaking her head and continuing. “You had no idea Spinel was a problem and that is one of the things I am taking equal blame for as I knew she was up there too and I never thought of her. And while what you did to Pearlie was awful, that still doesn’t explain why you would call yourself a coward who wanted to destroy Earth especially when the opposite was true.” 

“Because I am a coward. I couldn’t save those Rose Quartzes from being bubbled even though they did nothing wrong. I couldn’t save those humans Blue threw into the zoo. I couldn’t stop the colony from being made despite it being my planet. Pink Diamond couldn’t do anything to save Earth, but Rose Quartz could,” the pink gem told her, tears prickling in her eyes as she turned away. “I hated being Pink Diamond and I wanted to put her as far away from Rose as I could. I kept trying to forget about my past, Pearl, run away from my mistakes.” She closed her eyes as she pictured her son standing in her room, accusing her of using him so she wouldn’t have to deal with what she had done. She couldn’t help wonder if deep down, he had been right. “It doesn’t matter anymore. Because Pink Diamond doesn’t exist and Rose isn’t running away.”

Pearl placed her hand on Rose’s cheek. “You will always be Rose, now and before. But I am grateful for Pink Diamond because without her, our true selves wouldn’t exist and the rebellion would never have happened,” she proclaimed, her shinning with love and adoration.

“I don’t deserve you,” Rose breathed, wondering not for the first time how she had gotten so lucky.

* * *

_Meanwhile on Earth:_

Nephrite, or Centi as she insisted on being called, was exploring. She had been here before the Incident, but it felt nice to see it before the Gem Empire had tired to conquer it. She hadn’t gotten to explore before the war and afterwards, well she wasn’t in her right mind.

The boy wasn’t here nor were his “chaps” and that saddened the green gem tremendously. It made her happy to be the first Homeworld Gem who had befriended Steven Universe---son of Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond, the darling of the diamonds, the Crystal Gems’ Champion, Savior of all of space. She looked forward to befriending him again. Perhaps they would eat chaps together.

Unlike most of the gems who had Awoken, Nephrite had been in her ship with her crew mates, who had also Awoken, so she had not had much trouble getting to Earth, although with the navigation being on the fritz had made them wander the galaxy for a while until they had found that blue and green planet.

Garnet had allowed them to keep their ship as long as they destroyed the communication devices and the tracker. They also needed to keep gems to guard the ship least one of the non-Awoken gems tried to use it to return to Homeworld.

“If you could see me now, talking to a spot, I’m only ninety-percent sure will eventually be your hole, you’d probably call me a sap.”

Centi stopped and spun around, blinking as she searched for the source of the voice. Her eyes fell on the Ruby/Sapphire fusion crouching at the base of a grassy canyon, her hand on top of it.

“You’d probably tease me over missing you. Or maybe you’d say something like “the great Garnet isn’t a hundred percent sure about something, who would have thought’,” Garnet exclaimed with a self-deprecating laugh before she became somber again. “I know you can’t actually hear me, but I want you to know---”

“What if she can?” Lapis demanded, causing Centi to nearly jump at of her skin. If Garnet was surprised at her sudden appearance, she did not say a word. “What if she is under there, waiting to come out. Are you really going to just let her be trapped in the dirt for five thousand years?”

“This isn’t about Amethyst,” the maroon gem said bluntly.

“I want to find Peridot. We can make her kindergarten early and then she can be here with us instead of waiting until Era Two which might not even happen if things go well for us,” Lapis informed her, flying down to the ground, her chin sticking out defiantly.

  
“Three problems with that. One: we don’t know the planet she was made on. Two: We have no resources to make gems or kindergartens. Three: Even if the other two weren’t issues, we’d still run the risk of that planet being found by Homeworld before the Peridots of our kindergartens were ready to emerge and be transported to Earth,” Garnet pointed out. Lapis frowned, opening her mouth to argue. Garnet put her hand on Lapis’ shoulder. “I want Peridot back as much as you do, but right now, we aren’t in a position to do anything reckless.”

  
“Um, excuse me,” Centi spoke up, feeling embarrassed when both gems whirled around to look at her. “I’m sorry for eavesdropping, but I might have a solution for one of those problems. Nephrites are scouts as well as pilots so we can find planets best for producing particular gems. Give me a couple of centuries and I could track down planets for Peridots, ones that haven’t been colonized yet.”

“If Homeworld finds out…” Garnet began, sounding uncertain.

“They won’t. They don’t know we defected. I can just tell our Hessonite that there was malfunction with our ship and that’s why we lost contact. Besides we are part of Pink Diamond’s court and if you are right then she will be happy to help us,” interjected Centi. “Please, let us do this. We owe Steven so much and it is the least we can do is help his friends.”

“I think at the very least, we should discuss this with the others,” Garnet told them, glancing at the spot she had been talking to, giving it one last pat before she began to make her way back to camp with Lapis and Centi on her heels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Lapis speaks for everyone, Era Two is far too long for our favorite P-Dot to appear.  
> I know that Nepertine are simply known as pilots, but I thought I'd give them an extra job just so I could use dear Centi a bit more.


	8. Unexpected Twists

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Centi meets up with Rose and Pearl. Meanwhile a Beryl ends having a bad day.

Although Pink did have a court, it was an unofficial one, and her courtiers were expected to go to Blue or Yellow if they wanted to speak to a diamond regarding any issue they had. Therefore, it was a surprise when a Hessonite came to Pink’s palace and requested an audience.

“Forgive me, My Diamond, normally I wouldn’t dream of bothering you for such a trivial matter, but they were being insistent,” the Hessonite explained, sounding embarrassed and bewildered.

Rose studied the orange gem in front of her wondering if this was the Hessonite in Steven’s memories. She did not seem to be the proud and pompous commander and yet that gem had shown another side of her in the end, one of insecurity and graciousness, coming to see Steven’s way even before he had convinced the diamonds to change.

However, this Hessonite just seemed like a bundle of nerves. Granted, it could be because she was talking to a superior, but there was something about her that gave Rose the impression that she was not as calm and collected as the one Steven had met.

“There is nothing to forgive,” Rose assured her, trying to sound regal and yet at the same time, friendly enough to put the gem at ease. “What seems to be the problem?”

“Well I have a squadron of Nephrites under my command. Several cycles ago, I lost contact with them. They returned a little while ago, saying their communication and navigation devices were corrupted and that’s why they went missing for so long. They asked to be sent before you in order to explain themselves properly and apologize for their long absence. I tried telling them that I would do it and you were far too busy for them. But they were adamant that they had to see you,” Hessonite explained, still looking sheepish.

Rose’s brow furrowed in confusion, wondering what was so important that these gems were risking their superior’s ire by trying to get an audience with her. “I see.”

Hessonite seemed to mistake Rose’s puzzlement for anger because she quickly began to ramble. “I swear that they aren’t usually so obstinate and they have always followed my orders without question. I don’t know what has come over them, but I will make it clear that---”

“No, no. They can come speak to me if they want to,” Rose quickly interjected, not wanting these gems to be punished unnecessarily. Furthermore, it was clear that whatever they wanted to say was important to them. She also had a feeling that she might know this particular group and if that was the case, she was certain the news they brought was news she would want to hear. “I will speak to the leader of the Nephrites privately.”

This clearly did not sit well with the orange gem, but she didn’t dare argue. Instead she made the diamond salute before exiting the room. A few minutes later a Nephrite entered, at first nervously then she caught sight of Pearl and there was no mistaking the recognition in her eyes.

“Forgive me, but I have no chaps for you,” Rose remarked, a small smile on her face as she realized just who this green gem was.

The Nephrite looked taken aback by that sentence. After all, it was Steven and not Rose who had introduced her to her favorite food, but she quickly recovered, realizing that Rose was giving her signal that not only did she know who this gem was, but she was also aware of the Crystal Gems.

“Garnet says hello,” she stated.

Relief washed over the pink gem; even though she had been certain that her friends had made it Earth, it was nice to get a confirmation. Then she frowned, her brow furrowing in concern.

“Why did you come back to Homeworld?” Rose asked, wondering why after escaping and being free, Centi and her team would return to this awful place, willing resuming their places in the caste system. Ice cold fear gripped her as she began to think of the worst-case scenarios that would merit gems having to go to Homeworld to seek her help. “Has something gone wrong? Is Homeworld early? Are they attacking?”

“No, My Dia---” Centi started to say.

“Rose.”  
  
  


“Right. _Rose_. I apologize. Everything is fine on Earth. It’s Peridot, they are concerned about,” Centi explained.

_What do you know about the Earth?!_

_APPARENTLY MORE THAN YOU, YOU... CLOD!!!!!!!_

Rose tried to fight a smile as she thought of that courageous gem who yelled at Yellow. Oh if she had been there, she would have given Peridot the biggest hug in the world, right after she stopped laughing hysterically.

“What about Peridot?” Pearl prompted, her brow furrowed.

“Well unlike your quartzes, Peridot wasn’t made until Era Two and certainly not on Earth,” Centi replied. “They wanted to be sure that she will still exist even if we manage to beat Homeworld. My crew and I volunteered to come back here so we could look for the planet she was---or rather will be made on.”

Ah. That did complicate things a bit especially when it would involve colonizing an unknown world themselves without being caught by Homeworld.

“Do you think you can find the planet?” she questioned.

“Well we can try. It would take some time to find the right planet especially if we have to do it without the diamonds knowing,” Centi told her, her expression anxious as she thought of what might happen if the diamonds found out.

Rose pursed her lips as her mind raced, trying to come up with a plan that would not end in disaster like every single one of her other plans.

She then thought of her research project and something occurred to her.

“Right now, I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to go searching for Peridot’s planet, but I will have you and your crew going to different world and bringing me back the soil so I can find out what gems are best suited for what planet. Eventually I will ask you to look for a world suited for growing Peridots and hopefully by then, I will have narrowed down which planet it could be,” Rose explained.

Yellow Diamond’s colonies were normally adjacent to each other, following a straight line so it could be feasible to calculate the general area Peridot’s planet would be in, but because Rose was weary of sending Centi and her crew to find it, fearing they might be spotted and questioned.

However, Yellow had many green gems at her disposal and Rose was certain that she would have had one of them to map out her future conquests. With Pearl’s hacking skills, it wouldn’t take long to find that map and find the pattern that Yellow was certain not to divert from.

“Perhaps they could take a look at the planets in Earth’s secretor,” Pearl suggested, shrewdly. “Don’t always go to Earth obviously, but make a few trips to collect soil samples.”

Rose beamed at her, realizing exactly what she was getting at. “For now, Centi, just go on your normal business and I will have to make my orders through your Hessonite just so no one gets suspicious,” she told the Nephelite seriously. 

Centi nodded, assuring both gems that she would not let them down. She then left to brief her crew on what was going to happen while Rose sent the Hessonite back in to assure her that everything was fine and to ask her not to give the pilots any assignments because she might have a task for them and needed them to be available at a moment's notice.

As soon as Hessonite left, Rose sat down, closing her eyes for a minute as she inhaled shakily.

“Rose, what’s wrong?” Pearl asked, sitting down next to her, placing her hand on her back, rubbing circles to comfort her.

“Nothing, I was just thinking about how I can’t afford to make a mistake,” Rose admitted. When the pale gem gave her a perplexed look, she elaborated: “I mean Jasper said she admired my tactics, but what she didn’t know is the reason my tactics were so good was because I had inside information. We had an edge and we still got completely blindsided and destroyed because I didn’t think things through. We don’t have an edge right now so if I wasn’t terrified that I might end up getting everyone killed before, I am now!”

“Rose, calm down. First of all, we do have an edge. We are two thousand years ahead of them. Secondly, don’t sell yourself short. You weren’t just our leader because you were a pretty face,” Pearl remarked, smiling when that caused Rose to giggle despite herself. “You had good plans. Remember when we learned that Yellow Diamond had sent one of her spies to infiltrate the Crystal Gems. You figured out who it was and how to out them without raising suspicions in less than an hour.”

“To be fair, Homeworld’s spies are a lot like Peridot when she first started out, unwilling to insult their diamonds and are uncomfortable with gems who act outside the norm,” Rose pointed out.

“You had no idea that Citrine would call Garnet an abomination before you had sent bad intel to her enforcer, pretending it was from her and set up an ambush which would have destroyed her credibility,” Pearl finished with a smirk. Then she sighed when Rose didn’t look convinced. “You realize that Garnet and I have spent years thinking of every way we could fail. In Garnet’s case, she saw the ways we could fail. But that didn’t stop us because we knew that we had a cause worth fighting for. You still believe that, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do. I just don’t to fail them again,” Rose whispered, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Pearl cupped her cheek with her hand, wiping away a stray tear that had leaked out. “I think the first thing you need to do is stop saying I and start saying we because we are a team and we are going to do this together,” she proclaimed.

Rose rested her forehead on Pearl’s. “I guess we could be the peanut butter buds,” she proposed.

“What?”

“You know like Connie and Steven are the jam buds. We can be the peanut butter buds,” Rose explained while Pearl still gave her an incredulous look.

“I can’t believe I am the one to correct you, but you are thinking about jelly not jam,” Pearl informed her with a chuckle.

“But it is made of the same thing,” protested Rose.

For someone who didn’t like food at all, Pearl was surprisingly knowledgeable about the differences between jam, jelly and preserves.

  
Strangely listening to her girlfriend lecture her, as Amethyst would say, was actually quite soothing.

* * *

**_Meanwhile._ **

****

_“I heard of you, but I always thought you were just made up. It didn’t seem possible. A Pearl who had no owner, who fought against Homeworld. Everyday I wished you did exist and you would rescue me. But you never came.”_

She remembered how the Renegade had reacted to that. How she cried, embraced her and apologized for not saving her from her abusive master.

“Coral!”

“In here, my Beryl,” Coral whimpered, trying to look as small as possible as her Beryl stormed in, a murderous expression on her face.

“I told you to bring my message to Pyrope!” she roared, looming over the gem, a fist raised menacingly.

“I did,” Coral protested, averting her eyes.

Her Beryl back handed her sending her sprawling to the floor.

_“Why are you sorry? It is I who should be apologizing to you,” she said, awkwardly patting the still sobbing Pearl on the back._

“Liar! I just spoke to her and she told me that you never came. And now I find you here, just standing around like the useless little pebble you are,” the Beryl snarled. “What were you doing here anyway?”

_“Why would you need to apologize to me?” the Renegade asked, confused._

_“Because I shouldn’t have needed to be rescued in the first place,” she replied. “I should have done what you did and freed myself.”_

“Forgive me, my Beryl, I am sorry,” Coral wept, curling up in a fetal position, keeping her face to the ground as she waited.

_“I didn’t do it by myself. I had friends who helped me. And besides what could you have done? Started a rebellion on Homeworld?”_

Her Beryl was a predictable sort, grabbed her up the arm and lifted her up so they were face to face.

“Listen here, you worthless piece of---”

The furious expression morphed to one of pain and surprise as yellow currents ran up her body. She didn’t even get a scream out before her gemstone hit the floor.

Coral glanced down at the gem dispassionately as she put the Gem Destabilizer away, wondering if the Crystal Gems would be terribly disappointed if she shattered such a worthless piece of dirt. She decided against it as the Beryl would now have to live with the shame of being bested by a lowly pearl.

“That was close,” Aqua muttered as she and the others moved themselves from their hiding spot.

“Too close,” Lavender whispered, unconsciously rubbing her arms as if the cracks were still there. “Maybe this is a bad idea.”

“We’ve already gone too far. Do you want to get shattered?” Lottie snapped.

“No one is getting shattered. Now come on, we have to go,” Coral commanded, sticking her head outside, to make sure that there were no more unexpected or unpleasant surprises in their way.

It was imperative that they got out of there as fast as they could and made to Earth. This time, the Renegade would have her support pearls fighting at her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will always believe that Pearl has a fanclub. Nothing will convince me otherwise.  
> I actually had a different idea where one of the pearls who had looked up to Pearl sees her on Homeworld and manages to get away from her abusive owner and begs Pearl to save her. As the Morganite in the original idea is chasing after her, our Pearl has to put this sobbing pearl into her gem. Rose acts dumb saying things like there is only one pearl here and bluffing the Morganite by saying that she will be informing the diamonds that she is careless with her things and they won't be pleased at Morganite losing her pearl, hoping to prevent her from making a new one. I decided not to do that because it would have just ended up with the pearl being stuck inside Pearl's pearl or in the garden until they got to Earth and I had no plans for her.


	9. Reversed Roles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose feels insecure about her relationship with Pearl. Pearl freaks out twice about their situation. Blue, Yellow and White learn of the pearl breakout. Meanwhile, the four members of the PFC (Pearl fan club) makes to Earth only to learn the bad news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay. I hope you will like this chapter

Watching Pearl sleep was enlightening to say the least. True, it might be a breach of her privacy but, there was very few places Rose could go when they were in Pink’s palace. Therefore, she really didn’t have any other choice, but to look at the dreams Pearl was projecting.

It had nothing to do with the fact that Rose wanted to know more about how Pearl felt, despite respecting and understanding the pale gem’s wish to save the Talk for when they were safely on Earth. Okay, so she could probably avert her gaze. However, when one thought about it, it was actually a good thing she was watching because that way Pearl didn’t have to tell her things she wasn’t ready to say yet. Therefore, her curiosity was sated while they avoided a tough conversation too early.

Occasionally, Pearl would dream of Steven. Sometimes he would be a young man who she would reach out to; only for himbe too far away for her to touch and comfort. Other times, he was a child, sweet and innocent, running into her arms, telling her how much he loved her.

She also had dreams where she was with Amethyst and Garnet: arguing, laughing, smiling or crying. Rose was never in those dreams, and why should she be? She had left them, and they had moved on, strengthening their bound without her. 

But it was the dreams with the human women, and a certain blacksmith that were the most gut-wrenching for the quartz because at last Rose understood. She finally understood just what Pearl had been going through all those years, watching Rose with her human lovers. She probably saw them, and wondered if those lovers were better than her, were the relationships more meaningful, would Rose rather be with them than Pearl? Would it be better if she broke things off instead of selfishly holding on, holding her back from true happiness?

_You don’t deserve her. You don’t deserve anyone. You ruined everything and everyone you touch,_ that little voice in Rose’s head spat.

The pink gem hugged her knees to her chest, looking down at her stupid shoes with those stupid puff balls floating above, wondering why she was even trying. Eventually, she would mess it up as she always did.

“No, no, no, no, what have I done?!”

  
  
Rose’s head snapped up, looking back at Pearl who was thrashing in her sleep.

The dream hologram showed Pearl with baby Steven in her lap, and she was trying to push something in his gem. No, she was trying to push his gem into him.

“No, no, please, Steven, I’m sorry. Please, don’t die. Please, baby, no!” Pearl was screaming. “Oh stars, I killed him! I killed him!”

“Pearl, it’s okay,” Rose reassured her as she shook the gem awake. “You are just having a nightmare.”

The hologram disappeared as the pale gem opened her eyes, glancing around the room widely, still shaking uncontrollably.

Rose pulled Pearl into her embrace, rubbing soothing circles in her back, whispering comforting words as the gem sobbed in her arms.

“This is all my fault,” Pearl cried. “If it weren’t for me…” she broke off with a strangled sob. “I keep thinking, what if he is still there? What if he is still there and needs our help, but we can’t get to him because we're here?”

“I don’t think it works like that,” Rose pointed out gently.

Pearl stared at her with wild eyes. “How would you know how it works!” she screeched. “This situation not exactly normal, Rose!”

Rose burst into giggles, laughing until she was crying. “When have our lives ever been normal?” she asked.

Despite herself, Pearl smiled, burying herself in her lover’s embrace. “Never,” she agreed, sharply inhaling, running her fingers on Rose’s arm. A few minutes of silence passed before she spoke again, a hesitant edge to her tone. “Rose, there is something, I should tell you.”

“Do you want to tell me?” Rose queried.

“Well, I-I mean I…” Pearl trailed off, looking as though she was trying to choose her words carefully.

Rose put her fingers on Pearl’s mouth. “Then don’t,” she requested. “Not until you are ready.” As if to prove the conviction of her words, she kissed Pearl’s pearl.

“I don’t want to keep things from you,” Pearl protested.

There was many things Rose could say to that.

_I kept things from you so obviously I have no moral high ground to be demanding things from you._

_At least you will tell me eventually. I don’t think I would have ever told you about Pearlie or Bismuth._

_I don’t want you to feel obligated. You don’t owe me anything._

_~~If I were Sheena, would you tell me? Or Bismuth? Or~~ _

But none of that would make Pearl feel better so Rose chose just to hold her instead, deciding silence was better.

* * *

Judgement day had come---undoubtedly, the first of many. Rose was to present her first report to White Diamond. To see if her little project was worth the time and effort.

Rose stood in front of the four thrones, Pearl standing beside her. For once, the pink gem wished that Pearl were behind her so she could hold her hand without the other three diamonds noticing.

As White Diamond read what Rose had written, a passive mask on her face, Yellow and Blue sat on their respective thrones. Yellow seemed to be almost board, using her fist to prop her head up while Blue kept alternating on shooting White nervous glances and Rose encouraging smiles.

White seemed to be deliberately drawing this out, reading it oh so slowly, and even scrolling back up a few times as if she thought she missed something.

Rose knew that she could not say a word about it. She had to keep her impatience under control. Just stand there and smile. The perfect little diamond, never daring to utter a word unless spoken to.

It was maddening, but Rose was determined not to give the oldest diamond any reason to scrap her project, deciding that she was too immature and not taking it seriously enough to warrant a continuance.

“Not bad,” White declared, her tone had a light twinge of approval in it. “I must admit that I am impressed at how hard you are working on this. I was so sure you would get bored and goof off.” 

_The great and powerful White Diamond was wrong about something,_ Rose sneered in her mind. _Who would have thought?_

Outwardly, she beamed, her hand clasped together, stars in her eyes. She allowed herself to become a little bouncy, wanting to appear as happy as she could.

“So can I keep going?” she requested, hopefully.

Suddenly there was a loud ding and Yellow glanced at White sheepishly. “I thought I had this turned off,” she said, embarrassed. “It might be about my new colony. May I just take the call? I’ll be just a moment.”

“Very well,” White acquiesced, waiting until Yellow had left the throne room to turn back to Pink. “You may continue your project.” She then raised a finger, halting Rose’s gushing gratitude. “I expect you to continue this quality of work. Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” Rose affirmed, nodding her head. “Thank you so much, White, you won’t regret this.”

“I better not,” White informed her sternly, her eyes narrowed threateningly.

Blue clapped her hands. “Why don’t we throw a ball to celebrate?” she suggested, practically glowing at the thought.

_I have been at Victorian balls that weren’t as stuffy as the ones we have,_ Rose snarked to herself, suppressing a snort. “I don’t think I will have time,” she stated, trying to sound regretful.

“But Pink---” Blue began to implore her, pouting.

“We have a problem!” Yellow Diamond interrupted as she reentered the throne room. “A string of pearls attacked a Beryl and stole a ship.”

“What are you talking about?” White barked in bafflement. 

Before Yellow could answer, a loud gasp resounded in the room. All eyes turned to Pearl. The pale gem had a horrified expression on her face, and she was covering her mouth with both of her hands.

“What is the matter with her?” Yellow questioned, frowning quizzically.

“It is just so awful,” Blue Pearl spoke up in a loud voice. She blushed when everyone turned their attention to her. “Forgive me. I just can’t believe that member of my own kind would act in such a manner.”

“Yes,” Yellow Pearl agreed, shaking her head, fusing outrage into her tone. “We are just so overcome by the idea that pearls would turn on their gracious and brilliant masters like this that it is just so unthinkable.”

“We are sorry for speaking so brazenly, but it is all so much,” Blue Pearl finished.

“Oh, you poor dears,” Blue cooed. “Are you afraid that those bad gems might kidnap you?”

“Yes,” her pearl replied quickly. Perhaps a bit too quickly.

“I can assure you, my diamond, that I would never dare to be so disloyal,” Yellow Pearl stressed passionately.

“I know you wouldn’t,” Yellow Diamond reassured her, with a hint of affection. 

Rose glanced back at Pearl, noticing that she had composed herself. But when their gazes met, it was clear that she was anxious about something.

The youngest diamond cleared her throat. “If you don’t mind, I would like to return to my palace,” she beseeched. “I still have a lot of research to go through.”

White waved her hand dismissively, instead focusing on Yellow, demanding she tell her exactly what happened, and who was involved. It was clear she thought it was a conspiracy, not believing that any pearl, not even a string of them could take down a Beryl and steal a ship.

* * *

Pearl did not run, but it was clear she wanted to as they made their way back to Pink’s Palace. As soon as they went inside, Pearl lost all restraint, she sprinted over to the holo-panel, furiously searching through the records.

“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe I forgot about them,” she rambled, tears following down her face. “Oh stars, how many where there?”

“Pearl, what’s going on?” Rose asked. “Do you know those pearls?”

“Yes, they were apart of my pearl support group,” Pearl replied as she frantically scrolled through the data. “Where are they? Why can’t I find them?”

Rose exhaled deeply, wincing as she spoke: “Look up missing items,” she advised, causing Pearl’s face to darken with anger. “I’m sorry.”

“It is not your fault,” the pale gem spat as she hit a few keys, allowing a list to pop up. Her expression softened as she read it. “Ah, here we go: Coral, Chocolate, Lavender, and Aqua.” She the board again, shifting it to the tracking the stolen ship. She let out a sigh of relief. “They are close enough to Earth for me to scramble the guiding system. They will be okay.”

“I’m glad,” Rose said earnestly, massaging Pearl’s shoulders. “So what is a pearl support group?”

“Well after Homeworld ended the caste system, a lot of pearls were coming to me for advice about freedom,” Pearl explained. “I didn’t want to teach them how to be free as they should experience it for themselves, but at the same time, I wanted to be there for them, as it wouldn’t be easy moving past our programing. I talked to my human friends and they told me about human support groups who not only help with addictions, but also victims of trauma.”

Rose flinched, realizing where Pearl was going with this. “Was Pearlie there?”

The pale gem averted her eyes. “Yes, she was,” she admitted. “I know that you didn’t mean to hurt her, but she was blaming herself and making ex---”

“Good,” Rose cut in. “I’m glad you were helping her.”

“Well, we were all helping each other,” Pearl corrected gently. “We talked about how we could move away from our mindset. How it is was okay to still want to interact with our former owners as long as we did it in ways that were healthy. And for those who harmed their pearls, it was okay to forgive them and it was also okay not to forgive them.”

Rose could not help but smile lovingly as Pearl continued to passionately explain how the group operated.

“Our sessions, although frequent, were not scheduled,” Pearl went on. “It depended on who needed to talk about what, and who could come to Earth. I had received a call from Coral about ten minutes before we held an intervention for Steven. She said that Lavender had run into her Tanzanite and it wasn’t pleasant. So I told her to send word that we would have a meeting in an hour.” She pressed a hand on her mouth, needing a moment to calm herself. 

“Then things got bad,” Rose prompted, rubbing circles in Pearl’s back.

Pearl nodded. “I completely forgot about them even when Steven turned back,” she finished guilty. “I didn’t how many came or if it was just those four.” 

“When Centi comes back, I will have her go to Earth and ask them,” Rose decided, rubbing Pearl’s back. Then a thought occurred to her. Hadn’t Steven seen Pink, Yellow and Blue Pearl that day. She had assumed they had gone somewhere the time travel incident hadn't affected, but if Pearl’s support group had a meeting that would mean they would have stayed in Little Homeworld.

Yellow and Blue Pearl had seemed awfully eager to get the attention off of Pearl earlier. But Pearlie hadn’t said anything. Surely, she wouldn’t have followed Rose back to the palace if she remembered. 

“Rose? What’s wrong?” Pearl questioned, seeing the pensive look on her face.

“Have Yellow or Blue Pearl been acting strangely?”

“Not that I’ve noticed,” answered Pearl, her brow furrowed. Then her expression clear as she realized something. “Although now that you mention it, there have been a few oddities. When I first became your pearl, Yellow was treating me coldly like I was at fault for being Volleyball’s replacement. This time around, she has been distant, but friendly…for her at least.” 

“And Blue Pearl?”

“Well, aside from her speaking in a voice louder than a whisper,” Pearl noted. “She was rather forthcoming with the information about the Crystal Gems escapes. Granted, she can be a bit of a gossip, but she usually waits until talks to her directly.” 

“But if they both remember then why would they not tell you?” Rose wondered. “Don’t they want to escape?”

Pearl let out a hum, wringing her hands. “I think they might not want to leave their diamonds,” she speculated.

“Why would they want to stay with Yellow and Blue?” Rose questioned. “Why would any pearl be willing to stay in a place where they are treated like objects?”

“I wouldn’t know, Rose,” Pearl drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm as delicate eyebrow quirked. “Maybe because they wanted to be there for someone who needed them.”

Rose flushed. “Well, at least I would admit that I need you,” she protested.

* * *

**_Meanwhile on Earth._ **

****

Moonstone shimmered, closing her eyes as she focused on the hand ship that was descending. “Four pearls,” she announced. “Apprehensive, fearful, excited. I would say they are not enemies.”

That sent a ripple through the crowd of the Crystal Gems. Some were bewildered that four pearls had managed to escape Homeworld. Others were hoping that their Pearl was onboard.

Garnet, of course, had already foreseen that her friend was not among the four individuals (not that she was telling Moonstone that. She might be able to sense emotions, but she knew the blue gem liked feeling useful).

****

When the ship landed, it took a few minutes for the gems inside to venture out. The string of pearls stood close together, moving as one, desperately searching for a friendly face in the throng of strangers.

Finally, the pinkish-orange gem stepped forward. “Where is she? The Renegade Pearl?” she clarified, her eyes darting around as if she thought her friend was simply hiding.

“She is still on Homeworld,” Garnet informed them with a sad shake of her head, knowing how unwelcome this news would be.

“W-what? Is she trapped?” the purple pearl squeaked. “Did they capture her?”

“If she is, we will rescue her!” Coral exclaimed, looking ready to run off to do just that.

  
“You don’t understand. Pearl isn’t in trouble,” Bismuth assured them quickly.

“Why is she still on Homeworld?” Chocolate Pearl questioned, tilting her head quizzically.

“Because she is undercover,” Garnet half-lied. “She wanted to stay so she and Rose could fight Homeworld from the inside and help any gems who wanted to escape.”

A strange emotion flickered across Coral’s face. Her companions looked disappointed that Pearl wasn’t there, but they seemed to have accepted that Pearl did not need to be rescued.

“Do you think she’d be proud of us?” a sky blue pearl blurted out, blushing in embarrassment as she covered her lips.

Garnet nodded and smiled, not needing future vision to know that Pearl would be very proud of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this was more Pearl-centered than I had meant it to be.  
> Rose and Pearl might be communicating more, but it is a learning process and both of them have a lot of insecurities to deal with.  
> Join us next time, another Steven-Rose parallel, a visit to the garden and more Project Eco-Friendly Kindergartens.  
> Also thoughts on Bloop, Peeps and Yelp?


	10. Getting Emoutional

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose moves forward with her plans while Blue fears that she might be moving too far away. Meanwhile on Earth, a blue and red gem repeat history.

Homeworld was such a gloomy place. No luscious green landscapes. No sunrises or sunsets, making the sky change into vibrant colors. No beautiful flora and fauna making the place feel less like a dismal pit of despair, filled to the brim with misery and suffering.

It was nice to leave Homeworld behind even if it was only for a few days.

Rose and Pearl used the Galaxy Warp to take them to Blue Diamond’s colony. Rose had wanted to take her leg ship but was told that she would have to take Yellow or Blue with her if she did.

Apparently, she had not been forgiven for the whole trying to do a spin in the middle of Homeworld, destroying several buildings incident.

“My diamond, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance,” a Holy Blue Agate greeted her with the diamond salute and a bow.

_“I would do anything for an order from the diamonds. But all they talk about is: Steven, Steven, Steven, STEVEN!”_

_“Hi, Holly. Bye Holly.”_

Unlike with the Hessonite, Rose was fairly certain that this was the same Holly Blue Agate from Steven’s memories. There was just something about her fawning that seemed very familiar.

“The glorious Blue Diamond has ordered me to be your guide while you observe the kindergarten,” the gem continued.

“Did she now?” Rose hissed, a rush of anger bubbling up inside of her.

She might have known Blue would try to get around the whole not needing a babysitter thing. Knowing Blue, she’d probably say that Holly Blue was not there to babysit, only to show Rose around.

Well two could play at that game.

“She did,” Holly confirmed obliviously, still starry eyed over meeting another diamond. “And I am so thrilled to be of service to such a magnificent—"

“Who is in charge of overseeing the building of the kindergarten?” Rose interrupted, as she scanned the area.

“Oh, that would be Titanite Facet 5F7L Cut 2UO,” Holly informed, puffing her chest out proudly. “However, she only oversees the machinery. _I_ make sure all those unruly gems stay in line.”

“And I am sure you are wonderful at your job,” complimented Rose gushingly, pausing so the gem could preen at her words. “I wouldn’t dream of tearing you away from your work. I think it would be more prudent if Titanite were my guide instead.”

The agate’s face fell. “My diamond, I am very flattered that you are concerned about me, but it is really no trouble at all,” she spluttered, panicked at the thought of not fulfilling Blue Diamond's orders..

“I am sure you are far too busy for me,” Rose continued, turning to Pearl before the other gem could protest. “Pearl, pl---go tell the Titanium that Pink Diamond commands her presence at once.”

“Yes, my diamond,” Pearl simpered, ignoring Agate completely, looking as though she was fighting a smirk as she dashed away.

“My glorious and gracious diamond, Blue Diamond said that…” Holly Blue trailed off when Rose raised a hand for her to be silent.

“I understand, and I wish for you to report back to Blue Diamond that I am very grateful for her assistance, but I need a guide with more in-depth knowledge of the kindergarten,” Rose explained, still smiling sweetly. When Holly Blue opened her mouth to object again, the pink gem clapped her hands. “That will be all.”

It said something about the agate’s character that she did not seem offended by being dismissed like a pearl. Instead, she slank off, with all the gloom of a kicked puppy. Had she not treated the humans and gems of the zoo so badly, Rose might have felt a little pity and called her back, allowing her to stay.

Pearl returned with a Titanite following close behind. She had a rhombus shaped gem on her navel. She was almost as large as Pink Diamond, just a head shorter.

“My diamond, you needed me?” the green gem inquired with some hesitation as if she were worried that there had been some miscommunication and she would be blamed for it. She was so nervous that she seemed to forget she needed to do the diamond salute until several seconds later.

“Yes, I do,” Rose affirmed. “I am doing research on kindergartens and I need someone like you who can guide me through it.”

The titanite’s eyes widened. “It would be my honor, my diamond.” 

“Thank you,” Rose said sweetly, as Pearl pulled out a holodisk, ready to take notes as they traveled through the building site.

Rose could not help but wince as Titanite told them in detail how they would turn these beautiful grassy field into barren wasteland.

_I won’t let this happen ever again,_ she proclaimed, even more determined to find away to avert this fate for Earth.

* * *

Yellow Pearl grimaced as she read the information on the screen, knowing the news she was about to share would be unpleasant. “With the holoscreens having so many problems, a lot of gems have taken to delivering messages themselves and it has caused production to slow down twenty percent,” she reported, nervously glancing up at her diamond.

Yellow Diamond groaned, rubbing her forehead, flinching as she thought about how White would react to the continued delays. “Why is it taking so much time?” she asked in a tone that suggested she already knew the answer.

“Because of the guiding system failures, gems have been trying to find their own way to where they need to go,” Yellow Pearl explained, adding bitingly: “For gems who spend most of their time in spaceships, they do not seem to have a sense of direction.” She then covered her mouth in horror, realizing she had spoken out loud. She glanced up at Yellow in worry of how she would react to her pearl speaking out of turn. 

The diamond raised an eyebrow, but did not comment, mostly because she agreed. “This is unacceptable. My pilots should not need technology to know how to fly my ships. It is what they were made to do,” she noted, shaking her head in annoyance.

“That is a very good point,” Yellow Pearl proclaimed. “Shall I add that to your message to their handlers?”

“No. Just make it clear that I expect them to shape up,” Yellow Diamond replied coolly. “Any news on whether or not, whatever was affecting our holodevices has been earased?” 

“The tourmalines think they have managed to erase the thing from every device,” the pearl replied.

“Think?” repeated Yellow Diamond, drumming her fingers on the armrest of her throne.

“Because they aren’t exactly sure what is was, how it got in and how it spread, they need more time to make sure they have scrubbed all traces of it,” Yellow Pearl answered.

Yellow Diamond heaved a sigh but nodded, understanding the need to be careful. They had no idea what this corruption thing was and how it worked. For all they knew, it could still be there, hiding in the system, waiting to destroy all of Homeworld’s technology. It was actually fascinating if it weren’t so annoying.

A chime sounded and seconds later, the door opened with Blue Pearl announcing Blue Diamond’s arrival.

Blue had a distraught expression as she glided into the room, her cloak sweeping behind her. How it did not ever get caught in the sliding door, Yellow would never know.

“I take it that Pink was not happy with your little trick,” guessed Yellow Diamond, half amused.

Pink was not stupid. After Blue’s continued instance that she would need an escort while she explored the colonies, of course she was going to figure out why Holly Blue Agate was chosen to guide her.

“She told Holly Blue that while she is very grateful for my assistance, but she needed a guide with more in-depth knowledge of the kindergarten,” Blue recited as her pearl went to stand next to Yellow Pearl. The two gems bowed their heads, whispering to each other about something.

Yellow Diamond chuckled. “Well, you have to give her credit for her ingenuity,” she praised. “I didn’t realize she had it in her to be so diplomatic.”

“Then when she came back, she didn’t even come to yell at me, instead she went straight to her garden,” Blue continued, clearly expecting Yellow to be just as upset as she was.

The other diamond shrugged. “She is trying to be more mature now. Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yellow, you don’t get it!” Blue wailed, bursting into tears, a wave of blue emotion swept over the room. “She's pushing us away. She doesn’t want anything to do with us.”

“Oh, come now, Blue, you are overreacting,” insisted Yellow, wiping the tears that Blue had caused to trickle down her cheeks. “Pink has always wanted to be seen as a real diamond. She is realizing that throwing tantrums and acting like a brat is not the way to do it.”

“You really think that is all there is to it?” Blue Diamond inquired doubtfully. “She doesn’t want to throw balls anymore; we hardly get to see her because she says she is too busy to spend time with us.”

“She wants to us to see that she is taking that little project of hers seriously,” Yellow guessed, getting up so she could lay a hand on Blue’s shoulder. “She isn’t pushing us away. She just wants to be more like us. How many times have we told her we are too busy for her balls or whatever else she plans for us?”

“I suppose that is true,” murmured Blue, still sounding unsure.

“I guarantee as soon as she has completed or grows board of that venture, she will be back to the old Pink,” Yellow speculated cheerfully, giving Blue a squeeze. “Well hopefully not entirely. I am getting quite fond of not having my work interrupted by Pink begging me for a colony.”

“That’s it!” Blue gasped, her eyes lighting up. “As a reward for all her hard work, we can get Pink, her own colony! Oh, Yellow, you are a genius!” She kissed Yellow’s check before rushing out of the room.

Yellow blinked in surprise, feeling oddly flushed as she returned to her throne. She did not notice Blue Pearl swapping a meaningful look with her pearl before sprinting after her diamond.

* * *

Rose and Pearl were glad to return to the garden, finding it a refreshing change of pace from the suffocating atmosphere that was Homeworld. It was almost like being on Earth again, miles away from the toxic and destructive gem society.

  
Neither of them was expecting to step off the warppad and witness Spinel punch Pink Pearl through a pillar.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!” Rose boomed as she rushed forward, unsure if she wanted to grab Spinel and shake some sense into her or make sure that Pearlie was unharmed.

“I didn’t mean to hit her that hard!” Spinel protested, staring down at her fist with wide eyes.

“WHY WOULD YOU HIT HER IN THE FIRST PLACE!” Rose roared, looming over Spinel who seemed to be shrinking down, her eyes growing misty and she was shaking uncontrollably.

“I asked her to,” Pearlie exclaimed getting in between the two gems.

Her intervention snapped Rose back to reality, and she took in that both of the pink gems were staring at her in fear. Pearl was still behind her and she didn’t dare look back, not wanting to see that same expression on her lover.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Spinel sobbed. “Please don’t be mad.”

Rose took a few deep breathes, calming herself down. “What is going on here?” she asked gently.

“We were just to see if Peeps’---” Spinel started to say.

“We were practicing,” Pearlie spoke over her. “You said there would be a war, and we wanted to make sure that we would be ready to fight.”

Rose scrutinized Pink Pearl’s face, the damage she and White did to her precious friend flashing in her mind. “I don’t think you should worry about that. I mean there is so much to do on Earth, you won’t be involved in the war.”

Pearlie frowned. “So while you and other gems put their lives on the line, I should stand there, holding your things?” she inquired, her eyebrows shooting up her forehead.

“Of course not,” Rose assured, averting her eyes. “I just don’t want to see you getting hurt.”

“But you are okay with seeing me get hurt?” challenged Pearl as she joined them.

The pink gem groaned inwardly, knowing that this conversation was going down a very bad path.

“Rose, unless you are planning on jumping in front of me, every time someone attacks me, I don’t think you can avoid that possibility,” Pearlie pointed out.

_Yep, not winning this argument,_ Rose decided, knowing that if she replied that was exactly what she wanted to do, Pearl would never let her live it down.

“All right, I suppose that is true,” she said reluctantly. “But maybe no more Pearl or Spinel, for that matter, shaped holes in the columns.”

“You know, when we get back to Earth, I bet Bismuth will make you your own weapons,” Pearl suggested with a smile, deciding to change the subject.

“OOOOH! Can I have a mallet!” Spinel pleaded gleefully.

* * *

**_Meanwhile on Earth._ **

****

Moonstone longed for a lunar sea spire, a place where she could meditate, keeping herself grounded so she wouldn’t become overwhelmed by the many waves of emotions that kept washing over her. 

Apparently, it wasn’t just gems. Her form had nearly dissipated when she had visited a human village. So many powerful emotions at once.

Unfortunately, the only gem who would know how to build a spire was a Bismuth and the one here preferred to be a blacksmith.

Moonstone let out a contented sign as she was engulfed by a warmth seconds before two red arms encircled her. 

“Feeling okay, honey?” Berry questioned. “Need to go for a walk?”

They were currently in the Crystal Gems’ camp, having a party to welcome the pearls. With some many gems with such a range of emotions could be a lot for Moonstone. It was like getting a sensory overload.

“No, no, I can cope,” she murmured, closing her eyes, finding Berry’s aura very soothing. “Talk to me.”

“About what?”

“Anything at all,” Moonstone replied. “Perhaps you can tell me what happened to me, Amber and Coral.”

At once Berry’s aura changed from her warm compassion to burning anger and then suffocating sadness.

“That bad,” the blue gem murmured, reaching up to stroke her cheek.

She could still remember that day when she arrived at their meeting place to find Berry hugging her new Pearl and a Sapphire. When her lover spotted her, a damn of emotions broke: joy, guilt, anger, sorrow, and love.

Even before she had learned of this time traveling business, it had been clear that she had left her darling Beryl alone and Moonstone wanted to know why she would ever do such a horrible thing.

“A kunzite decided to get back at me by smashing one of my things,” Berry told her softly, pressing Moonstone closer to her. “She chose to shatter Coral,” she growled, her voice shaking with rage. “To her, all she was doing was destroying an object, not shattering my friend, a fellow gem.”

“I take it, you decided to take matters in your own hand,” Moonstone guessed.

“No one hurts my friends and gets away with it,” Beryl snarled. Her dark scowl morphed into a pained look. “Unfortunately, in my anger and grief, I wasn’t thinking straight. She had just gotten the upper hand when you intervened. I still don’t know why you did it, maybe you sensed she wasn’t just going to poof me. But you jumped in front of me and the kunzite shattered you.”

“Oh,” gasped Moonstone. “You poor thing. That must have been awful for you.”

Berry stared at her as if she could not believe she just said that. Had it been any other time, Moonstone might have reminded her of how she started talking to the walls because they seemed lonely.

“The diamonds got involved. Cloudy Amber lied and said that Kunzite had attacked you for no reason and I was just trying to stop her,” Beryl continued with a smile tugging at her lips as her gaze slid over to the orange gem who was chatting with Snowflake Obsidian.

“What happened to her?” Moonstone wondered, worrying over what might have happened to her loyal retainer after her demise.

Beryl frowned. “I don’t know. She got resigned somewhere else and I was sent to Earth. After Steven cured us from corruption, I felt too guilty to go looking for her,” she confessed with a trickle of regret.

“Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter now,” Moonstone opined. “Now that we are all here together.”

“Something I thank every star in the sky for,” proclaimed Beryl, her eyes shining brightly. “I would fight a thousand wars just to see your beautiful face.”

“This time, I will be fighting beside you,” Moonstone promised. “I won’t ever leave you again.”

“Can you two do me a favor and just go fuse already,” Tiger's Eye requested from where she was sitting right next to the pair.

Her words were loud enough to get Garnet’s attention.

The permafusion took off her visor, giving Tiger’s Eye a stern look. “As I have repeatedly told Amethyst, fusion should not be used as an innuendo,” she commented coolly, before glancing over at Moonstone and Berry. “That being said, just go fuse already.” 

“I think that would be a lovely idea,” Moonstone decided, her eyes locking with Beryl’s. “Don’t you?”

A faint purple blush appeared on the beryl’s cheeks as Moonstone stood up and extended her hand.

  
The blue gem could not help but smirk at the flurry of nervousness that flowed out of Berry as she stood up and placed her hand in hers.

There clearing was silent now as the two gems danced in the moonlight, the crowd watching them in fascination.

Finally, the two became one.

“Huh, I was expecting to be pink and blue,” the four-armed purple gem remarked as she did a spin.

“What’s your name?” Garnet inquired, her impish grin almost splitting her face into two.

_She already knows. She saw this coming,_ the new fusion observed before becoming pensive.

“My name is Charoite,” she proclaimed.

“Welcome to Earth, Charoite,” Garnet greeted her with jubilation.

Charoite continued to dance. The emotions of others did not overwhelm her, instead the feelings of celebration, joy and acceptance just ignited her exhilaration, enhancing her own happiness, making it grow stronger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beryl much like Bismuth did not need a rebellion to realize just how much Homeworld sucked. I hope you liked her backstory. I hope her relationship with Moonstone isn't too much.  
> Just in case it isn't clear, Rose doesn't think less of Pearlie, but the idea of her getting cracked again is something she liked to avoid.  
> Anyone else feel like Spinel is stronger than you would think a court jester would be.


End file.
